Wings are Made from Feathers
by Speechlessly Inclined
Summary: As Syaoran and Sakura travel to new and dangerous worlds, their relationship blossoms. How can they imagine a future together when their situation is so unlikely? Faced with adversity at every turn, it is all they can do not to lose hope...
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Syaoran, Sakura, Fai, Kurogane, Mokona, Yuuki, Tomoyo, or Tsubasa Chronicles. CLAMP owns them (lucky…).

A fanfic for Sakura and Syaoran. This is my very first EVER fanfic, and I love the pairing so much that I decided they deserved to be my first.

This fanfic does not follow the story of Tsubasa Chronicles, as beautiful as it was (seriously, it was very beautiful, whether you read the manga or watched the anime). The story here is, however, loosely interpreted from it.

Rated M just to be safe, as Sakura and Syaoran have some romance scenes LATER ON. Additionally, Kurogane has a cursing problem (although there are some words that I absolutely refuse to use); and there will also be minor violence.

Anyway! Enough of my rambling! On to the story!

**Chapter One: The Land of Green **

Birds chirped merrily, singing a song to greet the morn that so quietly, gently, spread across the land. The sun seemed reluctant to wake the slumbering creatures; they had been so peaceful. Now, however, it was time for the sun to aid the birds in their salutations to the new day—there was much work to be done on the land, and precious few hours of light to do it. Just as the sun's mouth peek across the horizon and lit the countryside, a large, dark purple glob—almost like a bubble—appeared in the sky, approximately ten feet from the grass of a clearing beside a forest. In an instant, the glob drooled away from itself, slithering into nothingness, as its own inhabitants were spilled unceremoniously from it onto the ground that was still moist from the morning dew.

As always, it seemed, Kurogane fell onto the ground first, and just as he attempted to raise himself onto his hands and knees, Fai landed squarely on his back, holding Mokona to his own chest and wearing a wide, plastic close-lipped smile. (Perhaps it was for that reason—Fai holding Mokona—that the blonde landed upright.) Syaoran, ever vigilant for the safety of the princess, calmly and quietly held her against his chest as he tried to cushion her fall with his body. Her soft hair tickled his face as they fell for a split second, the princess clinging to him tightly, her eyes shut in preparation for impact, her teeth clenched together in case of a jarring halt. Syaoran, however, landed in a kneeling position, his arms cushioning any sense of impact Sakura may have felt. He smiled when she released a pent-up breath of relief.

"Dammit, you stupid magician! Get the hell off me!" Kurogane growled, digging his fingers into the soft earth, his red eyes glinting.

Fai turned to him, that content smile still plastered onto his face. "But, Kuro-tin, your back is such a nice seat. Mokona likes it, don't you, Mokona?"

"Mokona likes to sit on Kuro-puppy!" The little white creature chirped, raising its paws—and ears—a bit.

"It's KUROGANE, you idiots!" Kurogane bellowed. He made a swing for Fai's head; but the tall, slender man jumped out of Kurogane's reach easily, as if the wind had carried him.

A smile appeared on Sakura's face as she watched the trio "fight", wishing she could join in their play, yet knowing her frail body would not withstand such exertions. She had not gotten a feather in quite some time.

Syaoran watched her face break into a smile, then falter, as if troubled by something. He knew that the princess would want to have some fun, but also that she was too weak to do so. The boy would simply have to work harder to find a feather this time. He would not allow her physical state to deteriorate any further. Syaoran glanced up as Kurogane, Fai, and Mokona settled down enough to observe the party's surroundings.

"Well, it doesn't look like we've been to this world before. I wonder what it's called. It's very beautiful," Fai observed, gazing around him.

"Mokona knows we haven't been here. It feels a whole lot different than the other worlds." The little creature's forehead crumpled as it attempted to sense one of Sakura's feathers. Alas, it was fruitless. "Mokona can't sense one of Sakura-chan's feathers, either," it said dejectedly.

"That's alright, Mokona-chan," Sakura said lightly. "There's a feather here. I can feel it." She brought her smile back to her face and tried to sit up, but Syaoran held her firmly in his arms. It made her blush to feel him holding her so strongly. Why was he…?

The princess looked up to see Syaoran staring at her determinedly, his brilliant amber eyes smoldering at her. Her heart quickened. "Sakura-hime, I think it would be best for you to conserve your energy, so please allow me to carry you until we can find a place for you to rest. I wouldn't like you to overexert yourself." That was only a half-truth. Yes, it was important for her to save her strength, but mostly Syaoran just wanted to feel her in his arms. When she nodded her assent, for some reason hiding her face from him by looking the other way, Syaoran stood, carefully so as not to jostle her. He held her tightly in his arms, but tenderly as well. He was concerned that she had looked away from him.

Kurogane scoffed at the pair. Sickeningly cute. Yet, cute they were, and he found himself—himself, the mighty Kurogane—urging the young couple on. "Well, if we want to find that feather, we should start looking for it. It ain't gonna just hop out outta nowhere and just float to the princess and… and…" Kurogane was rendered speechless by a loud banging noise not two hundred feet away from the group. He spun around savagely and drew his sword in preparation for a fight, instinctively. He saw a large boulder, a boulder that had not been there one minute ago.

Mokona, on the other hand, screamed its indication of being aware of the feather. "The feather is there!"

That statement was all Syaoran needed. Gently, he set the princess down. "Please stay safe for a moment while I get the feather, Sakura-hime." Sakura only nodded in return as she felt coldness envelope her body from the loss of his touch.

The banging noise erupted again, and a second boulder joined the first, accompanied by a rallied battle cry of many voices. Fai's eyes widened.

"Syaoran, perhaps this is not the best time to get the feather. I think it might be best to run and watch from a safe distance this time," the blonde wizard suggested. Syaoran hesitated, then nodded, his jaw set and his eyes steady as he plucked Sakura off the ground and into his arms once more. Following his companions, Syaoran darted into the forest to their left, climbed a tree to conceal himself and the princess, and lay in wait, anxious to return that precious feather to its precious owner—his princess.

Syaoran watched the scene before him unfold with determined, smoldering amber eyes.

The people that had flung the boulder at them were now racing to the spot he and his companions had been, with weapons raised over their heads. These people were huge monstrosities: they stood over nine feet tall, their torsos as wide as tree trunks, their limbs branches of sinewy muscle. They wore no armor, yet they seemed as if they were going to war. In a brutish tongue, they growled about having lost the "damn elves". One of the people rose up above the rest. He wore a long beard, and wiry hairs covered his torso and limbs. By the way the others backed away and quieted, it seemed as if this huge man was their leader.

"Elves no here. We lose them. But, me bet they gone up across hill." At this, he pointed with a finger the shape and color of a sausage. "We follow them to their tree-homes. Kill Mother Tree, then they all die. Mountain Father will be pleased and reward us!" The mountain man roared to his people and they set off towards a hill, their morale inspired. No one bothered to recover the huge rocks they had left behind, though catapults followed the marching army of over a thousand.

In his focus on the mountain people, Syaoran had failed to notice his proximity to the princess. It was not lost on her, however. Sakura felt him edging closer and closer to her, trying to get a better look as these mountain people and their plans. By the time the leader had risen to make his speech, Syaoran's chest was nearly close enough for her to kiss. His own chin was brushing against her forehead. So, she sat there, huddled underneath his body, aching to touch him. Sakura couldn't, though. She couldn't risk upsetting him. Recently, he seemed to be drifting away from her a bit; he was more formal than usual, and did not often look into her eyes. Therefore, Sakura contented herself with closing her eyes and inhaling his clean, warm pine scent. As she filled her lungs with his scent, her heart fluttered. She suddenly was blushing as he held her tighter, closer, and the warmth of his body overtook her. She melted into him.

Syaoran's mind flung back to his body as he felt Sakura's head rest on his shoulder. His face flushed with embarrassment—he had unknowingly pressed her body against his while trying to get a closer look at the giants now exiting the clearing. His body stiffened, then relaxed as she leaned against him, gently putting her hands on his chest and curling her fingers into his cloak. Syaoran glanced at Fai only a few trees across from him and was met with a calm stare and a smile. "Can I get the feather now?" Syaoran asked, his voice not betraying his anxiety for Sakura.

Fai nodded, chuckling a bit. "I will follow you. Kuro-rin, come on, too!" Mokona squeaked its participation as well. Kurogane, as to be expected, grumbled as he leapt from the tree, following his companions.

Syaoran carefully cradled his sleeping princess in his arms as he sprinted toward the boulder. Would possessing the feather really be this easy? He became cautious as he approached the boulder, guided by Mokona's cries of "It's there, the one on the left!"

Suddenly, it came into view. The feather. It was right there, in front of him. Syaoran made a quick grab for it before the small, delicate thing could flutter away. The boy would not be eluded once again. Syaoran gently, reverently, placed the feather on Sakura's slowly rising chest; the princess' heart absorbed the small offering. It was a thing of beauty. To watch the little feather, pure as light, float inside the girl's chest; to observe her body receiving a new memory; to know that, in her dreams, she was reliving her forgotten past… it was that which kept Syaoran going. For he knew that, with this small gift, Sakura would be kept alive and well for a least a little bit longer.

He stared at her face, watching her dream of something. Her long eyelashes fluttered softly as her mouth twitched into a faint, sleeping smile. The sun sent a soft light to caress the girl's cheek, making the skin glow a warm cream color. Suddenly, though, Syaoran could tell that Sakura's dream had taken a turn. Her face twisted into one of confusion.

"Who… I don't… unders…" her lips, pink and moist, whispered into the air. Syaoran felt a stab in his heart. He knew what she dreamt of—or, rather, what she did not dream of.

Fai looked at the despairing boy sympathetically. "She is having a memory, isn't she: one of you, yet not of you." It was not a question.

Syaoran nodded painfully, swallowing a lump in his throat. "At the beginning, I thought I could handle it. I thought I could cope with her not being able to remember me, not having the same relationship with me. I thought that, as long as I found her feathers, it would be fine. I thought that she would not notice, that it would cause her no pain. After all, how can she miss what she doesn't remember?" His face grew more morose.

"But, recently, she has been having gaps in her memories. I can tell. She often speaks out in her sleep, 'Who are you? I know you're there, but I can't see you. I can't hear you.' Sakura-hime worries that she had no friends as a child, when the truth is…" he choked, but went on. "The truth is that I was there all along, helping her, protecting her. And she was saving me. All that time. All that trust, that care, all those… those memories. Gone. All of them, gone." He suddenly was unable to take the grief that had lodged in his soul. The tears threatened to overtake him.

Fai smiled, but this smile was different. It was real. The smile that now touched Fai's lips was stunning, so full of raw sympathy and sadness for Syaoran that even Kurogane's eyes widened. "Then, I suppose you'll just have to make new memories with her," the wizard said, and his voice was full of tender kindness.

Syaoran nodded, though still mourning the loss of his childhood friend. It would take him much time to understand fully what Fai meant, but for now, Syaoran needed to be alone with his thoughts. "Can we… hurry and find a place to sleep?"

His companions nodded, all except for Sakura, who still lay sleeping in the boy's arms, her hand delicately gripping his cloak, drawing herself in closer to share his warmth, unknowing.

By the time the group had establish a small camp and set dinner on the fire, night had fallen, Sakura had awakened, and Syaoran had left to take a stroll in the chilled night air.

As Sakura sat up, she remembered the hinting loss of her memory. Often, she felt cheated, as if she was only getting half a memory, as if there was so much more to her life than she was seeing. The feeling of being empty would never truly leave her, she thought as she yawned, her stomach grumbled—the only part of her that was not dainty. Her stomach demanded attention, bringing a blush to her cheeks.

Fai smiled at her. "Good morning, Sakura-chan." Sakura opened her mouth, but her stomach issued a grumbly good morning to Fai before she could. The magician chuckled. "We're having fish tonight, with fruits picked freshly from the forest by Mokona."

"Thank you, Fai-san. Mokona-chan," Sakura said lightly, smiling as she stood up and stretched a little. "Where is Syaoran-kun?"

"Syaoran went on a walk so he could cry," Mokona said sadly. "He hasn't been feeling very happy lately. Mokona thinks that Sakura-chan should go and comfort him!"

Sakura's cheeks reddened further. "B-but Mokona-chan…"

Kurogane sat up from his laying position on the other side of the fire and stared at her coolly. "Sakura. Take it from me. The kid needs someone he cares a lot about to help him right now. And that means you."

Kurogane's companions' eyes widened. He had never spoken so… caringly about another person. Immediately, however, the warrior caught himself, and, with a quick snarl, he growled, "But it's not like I care or anything. Just a suggestion. He's less of a fighter when he's depressed."

Sakura smiled and stood, then walked over to Kurogane, who sat cross-legged, hunched over. He looked up at her suspiciously for a moment until she knelt down beside him and gave him a hug. "Thank you, Kurogane-san." Then, she stood, and, after being directed on where to go by Mokona, set off to find Syaoran.

Kurogane's eyes softened as he stared at her walk off. She reminded him of Tomoyo, back at his own world.

Fai's tongue clicked. "Did she knock a chip off that icy shoulder, Kuro-puppy?"

Kurogane growled once more. "No! It's just that…" he trailed off, not knowing what to say. "If that kid tries anything on her, I'll beat him to a pulp!"

A light laughter bubbled from Fai's throat. "Should I start calling you Kuro-daddy from now on?"

The ninja cursed and lay back down.

Sakura meandered through the woods, having lost herself in the night. She was fairly certain she headed in the right direction, though she could not be sure. The girl was cold, shivering, as she walked about the forest alone. Her soft caramel colored hair gently blew in the breeze as her bright green eyes glowed in the dark. Her arms wrapped around her torso, trying to conserve her body heat while she searched for the boy.

After walking some fifteen more minutes, her breath was floating up in misty sparkles around her face and her lips were slightly blue, though she wore her cloak wrapped tight around her body. She began to walk faster—she knew she was getting closer to him.

Syaoran turned around from gazing into the pond, having added his tears to the volume of the water within. He had been crying since he broke down here, on the edge of a small, pristine pond fed by a stream. Now, however, he felt someone come up behind him and, wiping his eyes with his gloved hands, the boy stood to face Sakura. She looked absolutely freezing. Chilled to the bone. Syaoran's eyes widened as he swallowed and took a step towards her, enveloping her in his embrace. "S-Sakura-hime? Are you all right? You're freezing, Hime, how did you get this way? Were you walking alone?" After a moment of her silence, the boy removed his own cloak and wrapped it around the princess, then used his hands to rub her limbs, trying to get warm blood pumping through her veins once more.

But she did not care about that. The only things she saw were his eyes—his beautiful, soft, caring eyes that seemed to bore into her soul—red and slightly puffy. He had been crying. Crying. "Sy-Syaoran-kun!" she exclaimed, sniffling herself a bit, and not just from the cold.

He looked into her tearing eyes worriedly. "Yes, Hime? Are you all right, Hime?"

She flung her arms about his neck. In whisper, she told him, "You were crying…." She brought her hands to his face, his eyes, where a small tear had escaped. Immediately, her own eyes formed small, crystalline tears. Her heart broke in two pieces.

At first, he shook his head. Then, he looked down and nodded, barely. "What it because of me?" she asked, taking a shaky breath.

Suddenly, Syaoran looked at her, into her tearing green eyes, and hugged her tightly. He was crying freely now.

"I'm sorry, Sakura-hime… I should be strong for you. It must worry you that I show such weakness," his voice was halting.

She shook her head and clutched closer to him, her body shaking with silent sobs. "No! It worries me that you're crying because I care about you, Syaoran-kun! Not as a body guard or a feather retriever, but a… a treasured, treasured friend." She wanted to say more, that she cared for him more than as a friend, that she loved him, that she wanted to kiss him, even now when they were crying and it was cold. She could not do that, however.

"Sakura-hime…" Syaoran whispered, putting his forehead against the top of her head as she ruined his shirt with salt water. His tears were receding, brought on by the calming, rushing waves of warmth that somehow came from her chilling body. They were from her acceptance of him, as a friend. As a dear friend. "I am honored to be considered such an important person to you, hime." He paused a moment, and his face reddened.

Sakura noticed his body stiffen in front her and looked up to find him with gritted teeth, looking conflicted. "Sy-Syaoran-kun?"

"N-nothing, Hime. Just that… I think of you as a friend as well," the boy said in a small whisper.

The princess' face immediately lit up brightly. Suddenly, she was getting too warm. She needed to get away from him, lest she overheat. That was a humorous thought—overheating. Usually, the girl felt as if she were constantly chilly; perhaps this coldness arose from travelling away from her homeland of Clow Kingdom, a desert country. Perhaps it arose from her loneliness. Nevertheless, Sakura decided she would steal this moment of warmth, even if it became uncomfortable for her—she would not accept the cold willingly.

"Hime? Are you all right?"

"Yes; I'm fine. I'm… I'm wonderful."

And so, that is the first chapter! There will be more, but I am a bit slow, so it may not be immediate. Thank you for reading!


	2. Chapter 2: A Darker Shade

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Sakura, Syaoran, or Tsubasa Chronicles. **

**Thank you for reading on to Chapter 2! **

**Please enjoy! **

**Chapter 2: A Darker Shade**

It was not long before the awkwardness of the moment caught up to the two embracing adolescents. Sadly, and with an air of finality, a wolf howled in the distance, signifying the end of their moment.

The two drew apart from one another, both regretfully. The girl returned Syaoran's green cloak in case he grew cold again, but the boy refused it.

"You need it more than me, Hime. You are chilled easily." Though he said it with a smirk on his face, Sakura could not help but sense that he was discontent.

Therefore, the princess shook her caramel head at him. "Please, Syaoran-kun. It won't be long until we reach camp. Besides, the food is probably ready by now, and the fire's going." Sakura pointed at the smoke rising not too far from where she and Syaoran were. "I'm sure I could warm up once we get there." The princess handed Syaoran his cloak once more, and this time, he did not refuse.

"Fine, then, Hime. But in return, you must allow me to carry you back to camp." Syaoran's face was set, his amber eyes deep and steady. The wind ruffled his chocolate hair for a moment, then settled.

Sakura's blush crept up her delicate face. She nodded, holding his gaze with her bright eyes until Syaoran closed the distance between them and swept her off her feet and into his arms. Her skin tingled and burned at his touch, but the feeling was not unpleasant. Sakura gripped his shirt as he began to walk back to camp, smiling a soft, sweet smile as she closed her eyes. His heartbeat was so steady, so reassuring…

It was not long before the princess fell asleep once more, however her hand still held onto his shirt tightly, bringing herself closer to the heat rising from his body. Syaoran found himself glancing down at her every moment or so, just to see her gentle sleeping face. Her lips were slightly parted, moist and pink, occasionally emitting a soft sigh or sound as Sakura slept. The boy's eyes trailed down her face to her creamy white neck, then further… until he caught himself.

'_What am I doing? I should be ashamed of myself… She's sleeping here, so innocently, and all I can think about is… is…'_ Syaoran thought, forcing his gaze in front of him while his face burned with shame. Suddenly, everywhere he and the princess touched became alive with fire and electricity, sending sparks up his arms. He found himself gripping her body to his chest possessively before reminding himself once more that his princess was just that—his _princess_.

If that was true, then why did she seem so taunting to him, so teasing and irresistible? Her light caramel hair was so soft and clean, always laying in a slightly ruffled, short style that framed her delicate face quite nicely. Her cool scent invited him in, making him want to spend the rest of eternity simply inhaling her, if it were not for her lips. Her lips were so soft and pink and sensual; Syaoran often had to avert his eyes when she was eating for fear of getting carried away. Kissing her… but, no, that could not happen. Lastly, her eyes—those two huge jade orbs that sent Syaoran straight into the girl's soul. Sakura's eyes expressed her every emotion with vivid accuracy. Syaoran had become so adept at seeing into her eyes that he could almost identify what she was thinking. However, recently, there were times Syaoran could not bear to look into her eyes; sometimes, there was something behind those expressive gems that was so raw, so exposed, so tender and _private_ that Syaoran felt as if he were an intruder within her sacred world.

Hearing the voices of his companions up ahead, Syaoran paused to listen, still holding onto the princess and his musings.

Fai's usually friendly voice was now ponderous, trailing. "—ever get all her feathers, Kuro-rin?"

A gruff voice responded. "I don't know and I don't care. I'm traveling with you all just to get back to my own world, and that's all that interests me. Period."

"But, Kuro-daddy, you gotta care about Sakura-chan and Syaoran-kun! What will happen if we never recover all her feathers?" Mokona's voice chirped.

Kurogane sighed, and his tone became softer and more serious. "Even with all our skills, there are bound to be some feathers that are just too dangerous to retrieve. And you know Syaoran—he'll barrel right in. When there's a feather, he's a force to be reckoned with. He'll risk almost anything to get one—the only exception being that princess. You all know he'll end up dying someday trying to get a feather that's just beyond his reach."

Syaoran's eyes widened, but he heard no refutations from Fai or Mokona. His grip on the princess tightened until she squirmed uncomfortably; immediately, he loosened. He would not give up on Sakura by dying. Perhaps, though, if it was her very last feather, Syaoran could justify dying. As long as she got all her precious memories back…

Syaoran waited a bit longer before stepping into camp. His companions looked up at him and greeted him with various levels of enthusiasm.

"I managed to keep the food warm, but you should probably wake Sakura-chan up. She's probably very hungry by now," Fai said amicably.

Syaoran nodded and gently lay the princess down on a pile of blankets beside the fire. Her sleeping face was so peaceful he did not want to wake her, but he eventually shook her shoulder as softly as possible and called her title. "Hime, wake up. It's time to eat."

Her eyes fluttered open as she took in a lungful of air. The first things Sakura saw were Syaoran's deep, warm amber eyes. A smile appeared on her face as she sat up, covering her mouth with the back of her hand as she yawned. "I'm sorry I fell asleep, Syaoran-kun… I didn't mean to; I just got so sleepy, and… and you were really warm." A blush once again crept onto her face as she stared at Syaoran.

Syaoran looked away from her. What could he say to that? "I-it's all right, Hime. But, anyway, we should eat." His face was also burning.

Mokona hopped onto Sakura's lap carrying a few pieces of fruit. "Did you have a good nap, Sakura-chan? Here's some fruit! Mokona picked it!"

The princess tore her eyes away from Syaoran to entertain the little white creature, though her thoughts remained on him until it was decided that the group should get some rest.

Syaoran settled down in his usual spot—beside the princess, but a few feet away. He watched as Mokona snuggled with Sakura and suddenly felt a surge of envy for the creature. Oh, how he wanted to sleep right next to her, entangled in her arms and scent! Oh, how he wanted the privilege of holding her body against his own! The boy drifted to sleep watching Sakura's chest gently rise and fall with her breaths, imagining he could hear her heartbeat…

…...

When Sakura awoke in the middle of the night, she was freezing. Mokona was lying on the other side of the smoldering fire pit, beside Fai. The creature had all of Sakura's blankets wrapped around its little form. Rather than going to retrieve them—the girl was far too sleepy—Sakura looked at the sleeping form of Syaoran. She could imagine the heat rising from his body and crawled over to him. Lifting a bit of his blanket over herself, Sakura, half-dazed with sleep, snuggled in beside him. Unconsciously, Syaoran's arms wound around her, bringing the princess into a world of blissful warmth. _'Such strong arms…'_ she thought, pressing her face into his chest. _'And such a nice smell… And so warm…'_ She fell asleep, contented.

…

The sun was just preparing to spread its light when Syaoran woke up. His front was molded to Sakura's back, his arms wrapped around her and one hand slipped under her shirt to caress her silky abdomen. His right leg was nestled in between her legs. Immediately, his face burned, and he could not stop himself from hardening. She was pressed right up against him; if she woke, there would be no hiding his arousal. Syaoran cursed under his breath, and the princess shifted.

He watched as Sakura turned over to face him, then gently snuggled up to him so that she was halfway on top of him. At a loss for what to do, Syaoran put his hands on her back and resigned himself to simply enjoying the feel of holding her once more. He allowed himself a small smile before closing his eyes once more and wrapped his arms fully around her, clutching her close.

"Syaoran-kun…" Sakura breathed. Syaoran was unsure if the girl was awake at first, but Sakura sighed and pressed closer to him. Was she dreaming of him? He decided to test it.

"Yes, Sakura-hime?" he whispered back.

"Warm…" was Sakura's only reply. She nuzzled her head into his chest so that her lips were barely touching his throat and her breath tickled his neck.

Syaoran chuckled softly. _'How much are you planning to tease me, Hime?'_ he thought.

Suddenly, her leg hitched up across Syaoran's hips. The boy stiffened, shivering and suppressing a groan. _'Oh, Hime, why?'_ Looking down at her, he knew she was not aware of what she did; but this just made him want her—and love her—even more. The boy decided to take a chance then—he would indulge himself just this one time.

Ever so slowly, ever so softly, Syaoran closed his eyes and permitted his lips to touch Sakura's forehead. Just once. Briefly—too briefly. It could hardly be called a kiss. His eyebrows knitted together and his eyes pricked with tears. This was a mistake. It felt too good—and hurt too bad. He took a shuddering breath and tore his lips away from her, looking up.

Only to see above him a green face. Syaoran sat up immediately, holding the princess protectively in his arms. "Don't touch her," he growled, angrily wiping his tears away.

The green being retreated, its eyes wide with curiosity. The creature was elven in appearance, and male—his long, pointed ears extended far beyond the back of his head, pierced in several places with studs topped with wood; his face was long and thin; his eyes were slanted slates of pale green; his skin color was a bright green, almost like the leaves in spring. The elf's short, darker green hair ruffled freely in the wind as he regarded Syaoran and the princess.

By this time, Syaoran's companions had woken up. Sakura stiffened in Syaoran's arms while Fai and Kurogane took up defensive poses on either side of the princess.

"What do you want?" Syaoran demanded.

The green elf, long and slender, backed up and put his hands in front of him. When he spoke, his voice was bright and thin. "Please do not be alarmed. I was sent here by the Tree Mother. When she felt that you were in the forest, she told me to come and fetch you. You are not what I expected you to be, but I have decided that I will bring you to her, nonetheless."

"Who is this Tree Mother?" Fai inquired.

The elf was shocked. "You do not know the Tree Mother?" He smiled. "Then, you must meet her!"

"Wait," said Syaoran. "What about Sakura-hime's feathers? We have to continue searching for them."

Though the elf was confused, Mokona piped up. "Don't worry, Syaoran! Last night, when you and Sakura-chan were away, Mokona sensed a feather! It was a really weak signal, and Mokona could only feel it for a second, but it's there."

Syaoran nodded. "Then we will go see this Tree Mother. Mokona, please make sure to tell us if you feel the feather."

…..

The group had been traveling for several hours before the elf finally said, "We're getting close." They were trudging through thick patches of tree and tall grasses, all bright green. Roots covered the ground almost as much as leaves did, and Sakura tripped often.

"The hell we are," Kurogane muttered. "We've been wandering around in circles; everything looks the same."

Syaoran glanced at the little white creature, then at Sakura, who was walking beside him. "How are you feeling, Hime?" he asked. "Do you need to take a rest?"

Sakura shook her head. "I'm fine," she said. However, the girl almost immediately tripped over the protruding root of a tree. Uttering a small scream, she began to fall.

The boy's eyes widened for a split second. "Hime!" Almost instinctively, Syaoran bent to catch the princess just in the nick of time. He let out a pent up breath of relief. "Sakura-hime, please be careful from now on," he said with a smile, slowly setting her back on her feet.

The caramel-haired girl nodded, blushing from their sudden contact. Syaoran began walking again, and this time Sakura trotted to catch up. She clenched her teeth together for a moment, steeling her courage, then bravely put her hand in his.

The boy blinked almost spastically. He glanced back at Sakura to find her face red with embarrassment, her head down and her free hand brought up to her chest. _'She's so insecure,'_ he thought with affection. A smile touched Syaoran's lips as he stole another moment to look at the princess; then, his head pointed forward, his mouth set in a straight, determined line once more.

It was not long before the trees opened up to an expansive, almost perfectly circular meadow covered in bright green grass and exotic flowers. A small, clear stream ran through the middle, feeding a pond on the opposite side. The area was empty save a few elves playing soft music on instruments and birds who seemed to be singing along. The sound was melodic, tinkling, smooth.

But all those elements paled in comparison to the gargantuan tree resting in the very center. It must have been two hundred feet in diameter, and it rose to heights unfathomable. The tree's branches spread across the meadow, draping the area with the soft green light of sun passing through leaves. It was magical.

The party's elf guide flitted to the tree and knelt before it for a moment before jumping up to hang from one of the branches. In a euphoric, flittering voice, the green elf called to them.

Syaoran and his companions stepped forward, though Sakura had to be pulled along because she was so enchanted with the place. Her emerald eyes seemed to glow more brightly than ever before.

The elf spread his arms. "This… is the Tree Mother!" he shouted.

A soft, amused voice echoed a chuckle. The sound seemed to be emanating from the great tree itself—which, in all possibility, it was. "Welcome to the Meadow, children," the Tree Mother graciously said. The elves and birds had ceased their serenade, for the Tree Mother's voice was a sound more lyrical than their instruments could ever hope to be. It was music in and of itself. "I know why you have come, and I believe that we could make a deal. It is your desire to recover the feathers of that girl, is it not?"

Syaoran replied, "Yes."

"And it is mine, and my children's, desire to purify the Father Mountain, whose children have waged war against me." The elves in the meadow hissed with rage at the mention of Father Mountain.

"Well, that's all fine, but how is helping you and your little 'children' gonna help us?" Kurogane asked.

The Tree Mother chuckled patiently. "The Father Mountain has possessed a feather, and I believe that if we can manage to remove it from him, he will be purified."

Sakura stepped forward, still holding Syaoran's hand. "Was he corrupted by my feather? What happened?" she timidly inquired, staring sadly at the Tree Mother.

The princess could feel the pain reverberate through her chest as the Tree Mother responded. "Yes. Once, a very, very long time ago, one of the mountain children came upon a single feather fluttering through the wind. The child, captured by its beauty, caught the feather in his coarse hand and brought it to the Father Mountain as a gift. The Father Mountain accepted the feather graciously and, in order to preserve the feather, locked it in a boulder of pure diamond. His children brought the boulder into the Father Mountain's cave, where they put the structure on display for all to see.

"However, it was not long before strange things started to happen. The mountain children began to grow larger, more powerful, and the Father Mountain realized that the feather was giving them power. He became greedy, and, wanting the power to himself, locked the mountain children out of their homeland.

"Even so, the children yearned for his approval. They wept for many days, begging the Father Mountain to let them back inside their refuge. And though the Father Mountain had the feather, he was power-hungry still. He denied them, but said that if they were to obtain my heart and give it to him, he would let them inside the mountain once more.

"Now, driven by their purpose and half-mad from separation, the mountain children search for me. When they see one of my children, they take him or her and do awful things, trying to force my location out of the child. Dozens have died as a result of the torture, but the mountain children have not uncovered my location yet. Still, they scour the countryside, driven by the Father Mountain's incessant voice in their heads, urging them on." The Tree Mother finished her speech with a soft shudder, and a few leaves fell from their attachments on her branches—the tree was crying.

Sakura, her eyes glistening with tears, said with conviction, "We will put a stop to this." The girl turned to Syaoran, and he noticed that her eyes were glowing fiercely. "Right, Syaoran?"

The boy nodded. "Mm." He gripped the princess' hand tighter.

The Tree Mother seemed to smile. "Then, it is settled. Tomorrow, your party and a company of my finest elven warriors will set out to find the Father Mountain and retrieve the feather. When that happens, I pray that he—and his children—will come to their senses and this world can live in harmony once again."

Syaoran spoke up. "Tree Mother, why can't we leave now? I'm… eager to get underway."

The huge tree rumbled with a chuckle. "You youngsters, always so impatient. The sun is beginning to set already, and you will rest here one night before going off. My warriors need to prepare, and so do you. From what I see, you ragged travelers are in need of an evening of good food, warm baths, and pleasant sleep."

Sakura's eyes lit up. "A warm bath? Really?" In the past few worlds the group had visited, Sakura had had to utilize streams and rivers to cleanse herself; and in her opinion, cold baths were ugly, disgusting things that needed to just die—at least until she could warm her body on her own.

Syaoran smiled and suppressed a chuckle at his princess. When she turned to look at him, her eyes begging him, he nodded his assent. "I suppose one night couldn't hurt."

Immediately, the girl smiled wide and threw her arms around his neck for a moment. "Thank you, Syaoran-kun!" she almost shouted.

The two stood like that for another split second before their faces began to burn with embarrassment. Sakura stumbled backward and, in her haste, fell down. This only caused her face to burn brighter because Syaoran, the noble protector, offered his hand to her. He helped the clumsy girl up, his chocolate hair spreading messily into his amber eyes.

Another chuckle rumbled through the Tree Mother. "Well, then, dinner must be prepared. Lef, will you please spread the word that we have guests tonight?"

The male elf, still sitting on a branch, nodded. "Yes, Tree Mother." Lef flitted to the group, bowed, and then nearly flew off into the forest once more.

"Kilala?" the Tree Mother called. Immediately, a lithe, dark purple elf slinked down out of a nearby tree. Her long hair, cascading down her back in a straight line, was midnight black, and two small fangs protruded from the corners of her delicate mouth. Her face was feline; high cheekbones set under slanted slits of eyes, and an angular chin. Her ears were not as Lef's had been—the ears of the purple elf were streamlined behind her, pointed with no embellishments. Her nails were curved at the ends of long fingers. Muscles rippled even in stillness under her dark, flawless skin. Her countenance screamed power. The only clothing on her body was a loincloth that seemed to be made of moonlight; the rest of her was covered in swirling, black tattoos. Her eyes gleamed yellow, sometimes flashing green. Almost immediately following her descent from the tree, a black panther prowled up behind her and gently rubbed her hand.

When the elf spoke, it was a purr. "Yes, Tree Mother?"

"Would you please fetch me the bow I made so long ago? Before dinner begins, I would like you to instruct this girl—Sakura—to use it," replied the Tree Mother. Kilala bowed and slinked away, her panther following.

The company was shocked. Syaoran spoke up first. "T-Tree Mother, it isn't necessary for Sakura-hime to—"

"Nonsense. It is my gift to Sakura. It is my wish that the girl not be defenseless when facing enemies. You have weapons, do you not?"

"Well, yes, but—" Syaoran stammered.

"Then why deny her that comfort? If she is in the line of battle, she should fight," the Tree Mother continued. "The weapon I wish to give her is a bow—she will stay out of range, as I know you wish."

Sakura turned to Syaoran. "Please, Syaoran-kun. If I can really learn how to shoot an arrow, then maybe you wouldn't have to work so hard, especially if you're fighting for me. I want to be able to help you somehow, to ease the burden I put on you."

"But, Hime…" Syaoran wanted to remain the princess' only protector, but knew it was selfish and unproductive to think that way. He sighed and nodded his assent. "But only use it when you absolutely have to. Understand?"

The girl nodded and smiled at him, but that was not enough. Syaoran grabbed her right hand in both of his own and leaned in until their faces were inches apart. His warm amber eyes burned through her emeralds. "Please, Hime… For me. I just… I don't think I could stand to see you fighting."

The girl closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them once more. She could feel Syaoran's breath against her lips. "I will only fight when it's absolutely necessary. I promise."

The tension slowly eased off Syaoran's face. He released his grip on the princess' hand and backed away from her a bit as the purple elf returned carrying a longbow in her hands.

"I have returned with the ancient bow, Tree Mother," Kilala purred and bowed. The elf turned to Sakura. "Sakura, is it? I have been instructed to teach you how to use this bow. Please follow me. We still have time yet before dinner has been prepared." Without a word, the feline elf took Sakura's hand and led her away.

Syaoran started to follow, but Fai held him back. "You know that if you watch her, you'll interrupt," the blonde magician said, not unkindly.

The boy hung his head in resignation.

….

After practicing for three hours, Sakura's fingers were bloody and she was covered in sweat. This was certainly harder than it looked. However, her teacher was a very good one, and had managed to tell Sakura exactly what to do to make this training simple for the princess.

That didn't mean the elf was going easy on the girl.

"Perfect," Kilala meowed with a smile. Sakura, after only five failed attempts, had managed to get a bulls' eye one hundred times in a row. It seemed that the girl was a natural archer—she had perfect aim, though her frail arms sometimes shook. "Now, do it once more."

Sakura swallowed and loaded her bow again. She was determined to succeed at this and show Syaoran that she would no longer have to be a burden to him. His face flashed in her mind; she fired.

And split the bulls' eye arrow in perfect halves.

"Again!"

Sakura fired once more. Syaoran's eyes were now in her mind—their burning intensity. Her shot had landed a centimeter above the bull's eye.

"Again!"

Almost mercilessly, the elf drilled Sakura over and over until the girl's body was quaking all over, the quiver was twice emptied, and many arrows had been torn from the bulls' eye.

Sakura was kneeling, careful not to put any weight on her bow. Kilala slinked to Sakura and took the bow, patting the young girl's back gently. "You have done well, Sakura. Have you used a bow before?"

Panting, Sakura shook her head.

The elf's eyes widened. Interesting. Purring a laugh, Kilala said, "You have earned a bath. And I will see to it that your fingers are mended."

Sakura closed her eyes in triumph, her heart silently cheering. She would not be a burden anymore.


	3. Chapter 3: Name

**A/N: Thank you for reading on to the third chapter! :-D If I may be so bold, please review if you want to! It would make me very happy to get some feedback on this.**

**Let's get right into it, then. :-D **

**Chapter 3: Name**

Kilala returned with two other female elves. The new elves must have been twins, for they looked exactly alike. They helped the princess up and glanced at her torn, bloody fingers.

"Ah, Little One, you've been working hard. Let us take care of you," the two elves said in perfect unison. Their voices were a melody.

"Sakura, these two are Kanti and Namid. I will wait for you in the hot springs," Kilala purred and padded off into the darkness of the forest, leaving Sakura with the unfamiliar elves.

However, Kanti and Namid seemed perfectly at ease. "Now, Little One, please sit on this rock while we attend your wounds," the twins instructed. Sakura did as she was told while the twins took up their positions on either side of the princess, each gently holding one of Sakura's hands.

Sakura wondered what was going to happen… until the elves began to sing. There were no words involved, yet Sakura seemed to understand what they were trying to convey. The sound was so beautiful Sakura felt tears prick her eyes. She did not notice her wounds had healed until the duo ceased their song, leaving Sakura with an empty feeling inside her chest.

"Come with us, Little One," they sang, taking the princess by her newly repaired fingers and leading her into the forest.

It was not long before the trio reached another clearing. It was filled with many diverse female elves in various stages of undress. When Sakura, Kanti, and Namid entered the clearing, the elves glanced their way, but then carried on with their business. Sakura was surprised that these elves could be so open about their nudity.

"Please undress, Little One, and through that archway are the hot springs. Kilala will be awaiting you while we clean your clothing," Kanti and Namid sang once again in perfect unison. Sakura, feeling as if she was having an out of body experience, obeyed.

'_I wonder why they call me 'Little One'… And I also wonder where Syaoran-kun is. I miss him,'_ the princess thought. "Um, may I have a towel, please?" the timid girl asked, as insecure and self-conscious as ever.

The twins laughed a tinkling, melodious laugh—again, in perfect unison. "Why, Little One? There is no reason to shield yourself—you are safe here. Besides, how is one to cleanse oneself with an impeding towel?"

Still unsure, Sakura nodded and gave the garments to the twins. Shivering, the princess walked through the archway on the far side of the clearing and saw several female elves bathing beside a short waterfall. Kilala almost immediately caught her eye, and the girl hurried over, eager to hide her body in the depths of the water. The warm water felt so good to her aching muscles—the princess almost melted.

"Have you decided to join me, Little One?" Kilala purred, leaning her head back into the water. She had various creams and washes spread about her on the smooth rock ledge. "Here, let us bathe," the elf said, taking a dollop of cream in her hands and rubbing it about her neck and breasts. Sakura, after a moment of indecision, echoed the elf's movements on her own body.

"K-Kilala-san? Why do you have so many tattoos?" Sakura inquired, washing her breasts as discreetly as possible. The cream she used bubbled softly as it was rubbed on the princess' skin, issuing a delightful floral scent.

The elf purred. "Little One, they are not simple tattoos. They are a part of me. These markings on my body visually detail my relationship with my sister, Amayah."

"Amayah?" asked Sakura.

"You may have seen her accompanying me as I was summoned to the Tree Mother. She once was an elf, as I am. One day, quite unexpectedly, she came to me and said, 'I have decided. I am going to become that which my heart desires.' It was not long before her body began to transform. Though I longed to be the same as my sister, I realized that I did not want to give up my life as one of the Tree Mother's elves. However, having seen our close bond, the Tree Mother gave me this gift—these tattoos. They allow my sister and me to communicate, though we share the same tongue no longer," Kilala ended her speech with a soft note.

"Is it sad?"

Kilala moved over to Sakura and poured a liquid over the princess' head, then took a handful of white cream and began to wash the young girl's caramel hair. "At times, yes. I wish that we could share the same form and be in one another's company throughout the day. But what of you? Are you saddened?"

Sakura closed her eyes as she felt the elf's fingers massage her head. "By what?"

"You and the Protector—Syaoran. It seems as if a great aura of pain surrounds you both."

Sakura thought about this a moment. "I… I think… I think that I love him."

Kilala hissed softly and snapped, "You do not _think_ about a matter so important. You must _feel_ it within you. You either do or you do not. You must feel it with conviction, feel it within your very bones, that it is true. Otherwise, you are lying, both to yourself and to the one you _think_ of."

Sakura sat back, stunned. "You're right…" Almost unconsciously, she stood, her eyes filled with conviction, then sank back into the water when she remembered her nakedness. "I do love him. I love him with everything inside me. I love him so much that sometimes, I can't take it. It's just that… I'm so sure that I'm just a princess to Syaoran-kun, just a burden to him."

The purple elf gently washed the cream out of Sakura's hair. "I am positive that you are mistaken, Little One. Though I cannot help you in this matter, I will give you this advice: If you never relay to him your feelings, the two of you will never progress in your relationship, and you will always feel regret not telling him. Now, will you please help me with my hair?"

Sakura set to work on washing Kilala's gorgeous long hair, and when the two were both clean and smelling quite floral, they climbed out of the warm pool of water. Sakura shivered at the sudden exposure to the cold.

Amayah, the great Black Panther, sauntered over to them, carrying two towels of moon cloth in her mouth. As soon as the cat set down the towels, Sakura grabbed one and wrapped it around herself, her face red. Amayah exchanged a glance with Kilala, and the elf laughed. "Amayah feels that you are too self-conscious, Little One. You should rejoice in your body, not hide it." The elf bent down to pick up her own towel and vigorously dried herself with it, carelessly exposing her body to dry her long black hair.

Sakura blushed, but did not reply. She had a feeling that she would be subject to one of Kilala's fierce lectures if she disagreed. The girl dried her hair as quickly as possible, and then wrapped the towel around her body.

The elf took her hand, having thrown her own moist towel around her shoulders, and led Sakura back through the archway into the clearing. Inside the clearing was a multitude of female elves, all preparing for dinner. Many wore long, flowing gowns of moon cloth, leaves, and flowers that conformed to their bodies perfectly; others were still completely naked, conversing with one another in soft, happy voices. Many sat in a circle, styling each other's hair, adorning braids with flowers and leaves. Kilala brought the princess over to one side of the room, where the most beautiful elf Sakura had ever seen awaited them. This elf had soft blue skin and silver eyes. Her ankle-length silver hair was weaved into a braid while a black, flowing skirt of moon cloth hung around her hips. Her breasts were covered with a sash of moon cloth that was draped around her shoulders and fastened to a close at the center of her chest with an onyx clasp.

"This is Miyu, the creator of our moon cloth. She will help you prepare for dinner, Little One," Kilala purred. "I must go and prepare myself. Amayah and I will fetch you when you are ready." She padded away, still naked.

"Hello, Little One," sang Miyu, taking Sakura by the hands and leading her to a tall tree. "I have been instructed to construct for you a dress to replace your old things while you reside here. Let me say, I have never encountered someone with as fair a complexion as you, but I will strive to ensure that your clothing will be a masterpiece once I am done. Please stand here—it will not take long." Miyu pointed to a tree stump and Sakura climbed atop it, standing erect until the elf took away her towel.

Sakura's face burned. "B-But—"

"I need to see your body, Little One. I must become familiar with your every curve and crevice in order to create something that is for you and only you. Also," Miyu said with a mischievous glint in her silver eyes "I was told to ensure that this dress is something that will entice your not-yet lover."

That was it. Sakura's face went up in smoke while her soul fainted. All the girl could do was stand there dumbly as Miyu took various measurements of her body. "You are so slight, Little One. So small," the elf observed. "It will not require as much moon cloth as I originally expected to clothe you. I will make for you a cloak as well!" The beautiful elf was ecstatic.

The elf skipped to the large tree and climbed up until she reached the top. Sakura did not know what the elf did up there as she covered her body, but she was anxious. Would this dress be as revealing as the others Sakura had seen? The girl did not think she could bear showing herself to Syaoran.

When Miyu returned, she held in her arms a bundle of moon cloth, but this was different than any other Sakura had seen on this world. Normally, the moon cloth was always midnight black and so silky one expected to touch the sky if they reached out too far. The moon cloth the elf held for Sakura was silvery white, shining brightly in contrast to the elf's dark skin. "I believe this is my greatest creation," Miyu said with conviction and happiness. "Rather than capturing the essence of the night sky under the moon, I chose to capture the essence of the moon itself to compliment your pale skin. Please allow me to dress you."

Sakura was still slightly mesmerized by the cloth. "Y-yes," she said absently as the elf approached her. When the princess felt the material go over her head and wrap around her body, she thought she would go insane. It felt as if her skin was being kissed by a thousand petals, only softer and smoother and lighter. It was as if she was floating in the gentlest sky on the calmest night. The cloth conformed to her body perfectly, but Sakura could not help but shudder as she felt the material move on her.

"Is it appealing to you?" Miyu asked. It was inconceivable that the girl would not like the dress, but the elf was still nervous.

Sakura, looking down at the dress, could only stare in wonder. "I… I love it."

Miyu beamed and then gently set the cloak around Sakura's thin shoulders. The girl quivered, feeling the cloth cover her arms. "This moon cloth is very special. Not only is it soft, lightweight, silky, and fashionable …" almost instantly, Miyu whipped a dagger out of her skirt and sliced at Sakura's abdomen before the girl had time to react. However, the blade did not cut the fabric, though Miyu had put a significant amount of force behind it. In fact, at the moment the cloth was struck, it straightened on Sakura's body, tightening and forming a shield. Then, once the dagger was no longer a threat, the fabric went limp and flowing once again. "Moon cloth is virtually impenetrable and indestructible." The elf grinned in pride at her work.

Sakura was in shock. Had she just been stabbed at, or did she blink? "U-um, that's… great."

Miyu took Sakura's hand once again and helped her step off the stump. "Now, let us style your hair." The elf led Sakura to the circle of elven females sitting in a circle, fixing on another's hair. "Have fun, girls!"

And Sakura was left once again in unfamiliar hands. The elves swarmed her, commenting on her hair; apparently, they had never seen this color of hair before, nor were they accustomed to her hair's length.

When it was all done, Sakura's hair was adorned with small white flowers that almost matched her moon cloth dress and several tiny braids were woven throughout her caramel locks. The elves had also painted the princess' lips with a slightly pink lip balm, made from honey. When they deemed her appropriate, the elf women scattered into the trees.

Kilala padded behind Sakura, holding a pair of white slippers with pointed toes. The princess noticed that Amayah trailed behind Kilala silently. "Please put these on, Little One, and then I will accompany you to the dinner table. I hear that your Protector has been anxious to see you," the purple elf said with a grin. Kilala now wore a long black moon cloth dress that was in Greek style; it was as a blanket clasped at her right shoulder with an onyx brooch, drooping down toward the left, and held together at her waist with a long moon cloth sash. Her hair still flowed freely about her shoulders.

The girl blushed at the mention of Syaoran and put the white slippers on her dainty feet. "I'm ready," she said.

Kilala took the princess' hand and led Sakura through a maze of trees, Amayah silently following them, until they reached a large clearing once again—but this time, several long wooden tables spanned the length, and every seat except for two was filled with elves and Sakura's companions.

Syaoran immediately felt her presence. Sakura was finally here, and his amber eyes snapped to her pale form. When he took in her appearance, it made him stand, knocking his chair to the ground as he sucked in a breath. She was gorgeous. Her porcelain skin glowed, and her eyes were brighter than he had seen them in a long time. In fact, her whole body seemed to shine and glow as she smiled. Her dress fit her delicate form perfectly—the empire waist accentuated her small bust and the skirt of the dress seemed to flow from her body like water as she walked. The low, scooping neckline was embellished with lacy silver decoration and framed her face quite nicely. The cloak, clasped at her neck with a small silver hook, spread out behind her like a train.

The boy automatically ran to her. Her eyes shimmered when her gaze focused on him and her body seemed to glow that much brighter. She called his name with the honorific, and it was music to his deprived ears. It was all he could do not to envelope her in his embrace when he reached her. Instead, he took her frail hands in both of his gloved ones and smiled wide at her. "Hello, Hime. You are gorgeous." Before he could stop himself, the compliment slipped out. A blush rose to his smiling face.

Sakura's face burned, but she beamed back at him, her heart skipping a beat at his words and his touch. "H-hello, Syaoran-kun. I-I've missed you. You look very handsome as well."

It was true. Apparently, Syaoran had washed as well, and had been made moon cloth garments. However, in contrast to her own clothing, his moon clothes looked almost exactly the same as his normal outfit—the only difference was that these were shinier.

Sakura found herself lost in his warm amber eyes, those eyes that she had missed so much today.

It took them at least thirty seconds to realize the entire clearing was silent, watching them. Kilala laughed when the two turned away from one another, their faces equal shades of red. "Let us sit down and dine."

Composing himself, Syaoran offered his arm to the princess. Smiling once more, she took it, and the two teenagers walked to their seats. Syaoran, always the gentleman, pulled out Sakura's chair for her to sit in, then pushed the chair to the table once she was safely seated. After doing this, the boy righted his own chair and sat down beside Sakura. Kilala took the head of the table, and Amayah sat patiently beside her sister.

The Tree Mother's voice rang out in the clearing. "Once again, we have been blessed with a day of sun and happiness, and, as the day's end nears, we shall celebrate with feast. Please sleep well tonight, my children, as tomorrow will bring a new day. Tomorrow, we shall put an end to the Father Mountain's corruption, thanks to the humans that now sit with you at the tables." In response to this, a ringing chorus of cheers broke out among the elves. "Now, you may eat!"

Suddenly, the tables grew branches; and on the branches grew all manners of fruits, vegetables, and berries, prepared in every way imaginable. From the side, several elves set out platters of meat on the tables (though Amayah was now nowhere to be seen).

Kurogane immediately dug into the venison while Fai contented himself with some winter berries and wine. Syaoran picked a mango from the tiny tree in the table, then noticed the princess staring at a deliciously ripe-looking strawberry just out of her reach. He smiled and picked it gently for her. "Would this interest you, Sakura-hime?" he teasingly asked her.

Sakura's face reddened. "Please, Syaoran-kun?" Her lips were so moist and pink; they were begging for the strawberry.

In a momentary lapse of decorum, he leaned toward her, preparing to place the strawberry directly into her slightly open mouth. However, the momentary look of panic in her eyes immediately stopped him. Alarmed at himself, he quickly set the strawberry on Sakura's plate and, face reddened, looked down.

Sakura was blushing as well. "Th-thank you," she whispered, her heart beating far too quickly. She brought the fruit to her lips, unable to think of anything other than that Syaoran had been touching it. The strawberry was succulent, so sweet and juicy. The next thing on her plate was a vegetable salad drizzled with olive oil; she enjoyed every bite, though her mind was still occupied with the boy who sat beside her.

The air between the two teenagers sizzled with intensity as the meal went on, and by the time the desserts had grown, it was all the two could do not to run from one another.

When Sakura saw the vanilla ice cream, she immediately yearned for another strawberry. There was one—on the other side of Syaoran. She would not be able to reach it herself. Should she ask him? Her face blushed with indecision.

But Syaoran, ever vigilant, picked the strawberry for her, and, meeting her gaze for a moment with his smoldering amber eyes, handed it to her. He cleared his throat. "H-Hime, please forgive me for… earlier. I didn't mean to offend you, and I definitely don't want you to feel uncomfortable around me. I'm sorry." He avoided her eyes for a moment.

Sakura looked down a moment. "Don't be sorry, Syaoran-kun. It's okay. Really." The princess looked at him, and when their eyes met once more, they were comfortable with one another.

"Hime…." Syaoran said softly, a smile returning to his face,

Sakura returned the gesture gratefully; then her face went red. "S-Syaoran-kun… It's okay if… No, I mean… I would like it if… if you called me… by my name, 'Sakura'… without the title." She fiddled with her fingers, anxiously waiting his response with bated breath.

Syaoran was speechless for a moment. Was this really happening? Blushing, but unable to look away from the princess—no, from the girl—Syaoran replied, "It… would make me very happy to be able to do that, Sakura-hi—no, Sakura…chan."

Sakura shook her head. "No honorific at all. P-please." She had to be determined.

Syaoran's eyes softened at her. "I will only do that… if you call me by my name as well, Sakura-chan."

Sakura's face went up in smoke. "G-give me some time for that, p-please."

The boy smiled softly at her. He had not been this happy in so long. "Yes, Sakura-chan. Would you like another strawberry?"

….

After dinner, Kilala led the group through the woods until they reached a rather large tree with several tree houses in its branches. "Unfortunately, there are only two free tree-houses—and each house contains enough space for only two people. The unoccupied houses are that one" the elf pointed to one "and that one." Kilala pointed yet again, to a house far more secluded than the others, almost hidden from view. "As I trust you all are adept enough at figuring your own sleeping situations, I will leave you to your sleep now." Before leaving, Kilala looked long and hard at Sakura, as if trying to convey something to the young girl.

Once the elf was gone, it was time to figure out sleeping situations. "Mokona wants to sleep with Fai-san!" the little creature cried.

"And I would like to sleep with Kuro-puppy!" the magician cried.

Kurogane's eyebrow twitched, and his face turned to Syaoran. "You better thank me for this, kid." The ninja, clad in moon cloth, began to climb the tree to the first house, with Fai following him, holding Mokona.

Syaoran looked to Sakura, his face slightly red. "Well, Sakura-chan, I suppose that leaves us with the other house."

Sakura nodded. "But… I'm not all that good at climbing," she confessed embarrassedly.

"Who said you would have to do the climbing? Hop on my back, Sakura-chan." Before she could protest, Syaoran turned around and waited.

Sakura's heart leapt. Taking a deep breath, she clambered onto Syaoran's back, locking her arms and legs around his body, blushing. She was positive that he could feel her heart beating erratically, pressed as her chest was to his back. "I'm ready, Syaoran… kun."

Syaoran went to the tree and began to climb to their house, his heart in his throat. He could feel Sakura's fast heartbeat on his back, and it slightly amused him. He wanted to stay like this forever; therefore, it seemed far too soon that they reached the tree house. Syaoran paused before entering the tiny place, savoring the feel of her body against his. His jaw set as he decided.

"Syaoran-kun? Is everything all right?" Sakura asked, slightly worried. Her breath tickled his ear.

"I'm not going in… until you call me by my name."

**A/N: Ah, I know! Such an intense moment! I'm sorry, but my heart was beating so fast and I was so happy writing this that I couldn't help it! Syaoran and Sakura just make me so excited. : -) **

**Reviews are appreciated: let me know how I'm doing! **

**Disclaimer: Again, (sadly) I do not own Tsubasa Chronicle. **


	4. Chapter 4: Warm

**A/N: And here is Chapter 4! I know it's been awhile, but I have been ungodly busy. :) **

**DISCLAIMER: No matter how much I may want to, I do not own Tsubasa Chronicle. **

**Just a warning: things are about to get much more intense between our two not-yet lovers. ;) **

**Reviews are appreciated: Let me know how I'm doing! :) **

**Knock Out the Jackalope: THANK YOU VERY MUCH for reviewing, and thank you for the compliment, as well! :D You have no idea how happy it made me to read your review—and to know that, yes, my story is actually worth reviewing. **

**Oh! And…. I decided to play with a different writing style for the dream sequence, which is in italics. **

**Chapter 4: Warm **

Sakura's cheeks tinged with pink. Leaning forward until her lips pressed into the hollow under his ear, she whispered, "Syaoran…"

The boy was panting now, his heart thudding so quickly against his ribs he was afraid Sakura could hear it. He was so happy it hurt. Swiftly, he opened the door, went inside, and closed it. Just as Sakura set her feet on the floor, he swept her off her feet and held her close. His warm amber eyes were eager, yearning. Inside her own eyes was that vulnerable, private look he often saw these days, but Syaoran did not—could not—look away from his princess. She seemed to glow under his gaze. "Sakura," he breathed.

At the sound of his voice, slightly husky with his need for her, Sakura blushed further. "Syaoran, I… Let's go to sleep." She smiled her softest, sweetest smile and he calmed down a bit, nodding.

Syaoran looked at the room, seeing with slight dismay that it had only one bed. He gulped. "Sakura… you take the bed, I'll—"

Sakura put her hand over his mouth. He had an overpowering urge to kiss her fingers, but held it back, looking at her curiously. "I want… I want to sleep with you beside me, S-Syaoran… if that's okay with you as well." Her face was burning, but this was a rare chance to be alone with Syaoran—she could not afford to waste it.

Syaoran stared at her in disbelief for a moment, then gulped and nodded. "Of course, S-Sakura." Gently, almost reverently, he lay the girl down on the bed.

Sakura unclasped her cloak and tossed it away from her, as well as her slippers, leaving her body clad only in her seemingly flimsy, thin dress. Her jade eyes begged him to come nearer, and she scooted over to provide room for him. The aura around her again seemed aglow—or was this simply his interpretation of her? Gulping, he removed his shoes, goggles, gloves, and cloak and slowly slid into bed beside her.

The air was hot and thick with anticipation between them. The two teenagers stared at one another, their cheeks red from embarrassment and urgency. He whispered her name so softly and stared at her so warmly that her heart broke.

"Syaoran…" the girl whispered back. Hesitantly, self-consciously, the girl snuggled herself close to the boy. She pressed her body as close as she could to him without directly clutching his body. Her face burned because she knew he was watching her every move.

Her protector lay in shock for a moment, unable to believe what was happening. Slowly, his arms encircled her body as he held her eyes. When her skin brushed against his, they collectively sucked in a breath. He pulled her even closer; their noses were touching.

"Good Night, Sakura," he breathed.

The princess closed her eyes and paused for a moment, and then the girl wrapped her arms around his neck. Positioned like this, their hearts were pressed against one another. "Good Night, Syaoran…"

…

_He's gone—gone!_

_Run—run through the woods. I glance around wildly—then pause. I run once more, the branches whipping, scratching, tearing. Desperation sets in. _

_Stop. Turn. Glance. I move on, calling his name—his name, without the honorific. It is like this for many hours. Until. _

_Wait. I shiver—it's cold. I look to the left—and see him. The gasp tears unmercifully through my lips—tears prick my eyes. _

"_Syaoran!" _

_I run to him, run to the boy, run to Syaoran. My hands touch his burned and ravaged chest, searching for a heartbeat. I find one—and shed tears of relief and pain at the same time. Then, I see his eyes._

_His amber eyes are cold, hard. He pushes my hands away. It is obvious that he doesn't want to see me. Or touch me. That hurts more than anything else. But, I push it away. "Syaoran, please try to stand up, we have to get you—"_

_He scoffs. Turns away. "I don't need help from the likes of you, _Hime_." The return of the title shreds, tears. "I've made a decision. I'm not going to travel with you any longer. Find your feathers yourself."_

_Wait. I clutch at my chest—my burning, raging heart that somehow understands something which my mind cannot comprehend. "Wh-what?" _

_His gaze turns back. "Must I spell it out for you?" Then, with mocking enunciation. "_I. Don't. Want. You. _You're so pathetic. You can't do anything without help. And let's not forget that you lack in the _physical _department as well." He scoffs._

_I feel his eyes roaming across, and then cover up my small chest in shame. It hurts so bad._

_Syaoran, with much difficulty, stands. Blood leaks from his torn flesh. I try to reach for him, to help him somehow. He snarls. "Don't touch me, Hime! Don't you dare touch me." He turns and limps away. _

_I hesitate a moment, then lurch forward. He is nowhere to be seen. I look at the forest floor—no blood marks a trail. I run blindly anyway, desperate. Faster. I trip, fall… often. Then get back up and continue. I call his name—Syaoran-_kun_. _

_But I know it is fruitless. I continue anyway—the motion of running washes away the urge to die. Soon, the name whittles down. All that comes out now are sobs, screams, and 'no'. I trip often. It is cold. _

_I fall down. Then, get up. _

_Fall down. Get up. _

_Fall. _

_Stay._

_I curl up in a small ball—the rain pelts, freezes. I shiver, sob, shake. Shiver, sob, shake. Until the pain becomes unbearable. I feel with horror as the cold hopelessness in my heart changes to searing, white-hot pain in less than an instant. The flames stab at, then lick the wounds, the scrapes, the tiny punctures in my skin that still bleed—cleaning the injuries, healing them. But it still hurts so bad. I begin to moan, to scream, to wail in agony as the fire gets hotter—I writhe, feeling the flames burn all over. _

_Then, my heart explodes, and all goes to white. It can be heard as the trees, the plants—everything—begins to burn and burst as well._

…

"Sakura! Sakura, please wake up! Sakura!" Syaoran tried to hold the girl down as she thrashed, crying and screaming.

It was still dark; the moon hung high in the sky, and it cast a soft light through the windows of the tree house, bathing everything inside pale blue.

"No, no, no, no…!" she cried, and her voice held such loss and despair and sheer _pain_ that Syaoran did not know how to comfort her. She gasped for breath, still screaming and sobbing. Her eyes opened—she could see nothing but white.

Watching the girl fearfully, Syaoran could not help but notice the pulsing waves of energy that emanated from her body. Rather than glow, his princess seemed to burn. "Sakura, please! You're okay now, it was just a dream!" He finally took her thrashing form and—though she struck him—held her against his chest, almost crushing her body to him—he ignored the painful waves of her aura that tried to push him away. "Sakura, please. Please calm down, you're okay. It's okay now; you're with me. It's okay."

After a few more minutes of fighting, Sakura finally woke up. She shook and sobbed still. She took fistfuls of his shirt and pressed herself against him, into his chest. She was sure she would ruin his shirt. The burning waves that pulsed out from the girl lessened, though Sakura's body still glowed—faintly, sadly, coldly.

Once her tears had subsided for the most part, Syaoran asked, in a voice warm and gentle and sad, "Are you all right, Sakura?" His hands loosened from her back and gently rubbed it.

She shook her head, but his hands made her body relax. "It was so awful, so horrible… I-I was so scared… It was so painful, Syaoran…"

"Tell me. Maybe I can help." His words were so soothing she could not help but oblige.

After a moment's hesitation, she began, "Y-you were hurt. Really bad. But, you didn't want me to help. You t-told me that you wouldn't travel with me anymore. You called me 'Hime'." The girl took a deep, quivering breath. "A-and… that's all."

He pulled back to stare into her eyes. He could tell she was hiding something from him. At first, the girl squirmed under his gaze, hiccupping slightly and avoiding his eyes. Syaoran leaned forward slowly, until their faces were a mere two inches apart. "Please tell me, Sakura…"

The boy saw doubt and fear in her expressive green pools. "Y-you… you told me…"

"What did I tell you, Sakura?"

"That you… didn't want me." The fear had overwhelmed everything in her eyes. Again, the glowing aura around her changed—only this time to a chilly fog that seemed to spread away from her in a fan. "O-of course, you don't want me in reality, but it was different in the dream. But, the same, also—"

"Who said I don't want you?" Syaoran demanded. His fierce amber eyes were stoked into two small fires.

Sakura blinked. "I-I just thought that… that, well…" She trailed off, more tears falling down her soft face. "Because I'm really not good enough for you…" The girl took a shuddering breath.

Immediately, Syaoran's eyes softened, warmed. He stared at her with _something_ in his amber orbs—something she could not define. "Oh, but Sakura… I'm the one who isn't good enough for you… Not the other way around."

The young girl tried to interrupt. "But—"

"Sakura, how could someone like me even hope to deserve you? You're so kind, so caring… You're a bit awkward, but I think it's… well, adorable and endearing. And it makes me so happy to be able to reach out and catch you when you fall, to be able to protect you." He smiled softly at her. "And…" Syaoran's voice dropped to a whisper. "you are so gorgeous…"

Her aura changed once more—stronger than before, it was hot, yet not burning. Sakura gasped and turned away from him, her heart thudding against her chest and her face heated as she tried to catch her breath.

Instantly, Syaoran regretted telling her all that. He released her from his grasp, a look of horror on his face. "I-I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to say so much. You must think I'm some kind of—" the boy groaned, at a loss for words. "I'm so sorry, Sakura!"

The girl bit her lip, trying to look at him. When she did, her green pools were soft and her cheeks were pink. "N-no! You don't have to apologize… I'm the sorry one. I reacted badly. The truth is… the truth is that I'm really happy you said all that, Syaoran." Calling him by his name like that made the moment seem almost too intimate, and both teenagers were silent for a moment.

Finally, Syaoran broke the uncomfortable silence. "Did anything else happen, Sakura?

The princess hesitated for a moment. She bit her lip, torn for a few seconds, before starting. "I… I froze…"

"Wh-wha—"

But she continued, closing her eyes. She was still able to feel every lick of the fire. "And I burned… I burned until I burst—but as the fire spread in my body, it… it healed me."

"Healed you?"

Sakura was thoughtful for a moment, her gaze downcast a bit to the side, her green eyes glazed over, remembering. Her voice dropped to little more than a whisper. "Yes… While searching for you, I had acquired a few scrapes, bruises, cuts… But all those wounds were healed as the flames licked them." Suddenly, her teeth gritted and tears pricked her eyes once more. "But I exploded. My body, it… was so hot, so burning. When my body burst, it spread the fire everywhere a-and it made everything burn and explode, too… All the trees, the animals… maybe even you. The fire consumed everything." Her glistening, sorrowful orbs turned once again to the boy. "And then I woke up to you calling my name." She offered him a weak smile, and the boy returned the favor for a moment.

They once again sat in silence.

The boy felt her shift on the bed and widened his eyes when soft, warm breath caressed his cheek.

"Syaoran?"

The boy swallowed hard and brought his gaze to her face. "Y-yes, Him—Sakura?"

"I haven't thanked you for waking me up and comforting me," the girl whispered. Her heart was fluttery and her stomach flipped as she struggled to find courage. Was it possible? The girl did not believe it could be done—especially after having such a dream.

Syaoran's own heart throbbed furiously, almost painfully as the tension climbed. His breath quickened as he stared at the princess, so close to him. His skin burned.

They sat like that, in silence, for several moments before Sakura closed her eyes and bravely leaned forward.

When her lips touched his forehead, time seemed to stop and a switch turned on.

Her heart slammed against her chest quickly, frantically. Her stomach churned and twisted as her quivering hands moved to grip his shirt tightly, almost desperately. There was an inexplicable pull between the two—it could not be denied, it simply could not. The girl lowered her face from his forehead after a long moment, breathing hard, staring into his eyes, her own jade orbs feverishly glowing with _need_.

She called his name quietly, the word flying from her mouth. The sound of her voice, so soft and smooth and lyrical—and calling his name, _his name_—set him on fire. The boy grabbed her waist a bit too roughly—but Sakura seemed almost to enjoy it. Desire pulsed through their veins—_need_—and pushed the two of them. The girl, in a fit of sheer desperation, crawled on top of his lap, her legs straddling him, her knees resting on the bed. The two shivered from the contact, in synch. The dress flowed about her beautifully; however, it reminded the couple that there were still clothes separating them. Immediately, Syaoran felt his hands, almost out of his control, wander to the princess' back to undo the ties on her dress. He took the princess' soft gasps and shivers as permission to continue.

The air between their lips was tangible; the connection between them, palpable. The girl uttered a small, breathless whimper that seemed so close to a moan Syaoran could not stand it. He wanted to hear her moan and cry out and call his name in ecstasy. He wanted to hear her voice, thick with pleasure, begging him for more. He wanted to see her velvety white skin, wanted to feel the press of her bare body, so soft and warm, against his own. The boy buried his face in her neck, earning a quiet gasp from the princess.

It was almost too much, this feeling. His fingers, undoing the ties on her dress, tickled her skin, making her shiver. Her hands brought themselves up to his chocolate covered head and entwined themselves in his silky hair. She tilted her head up so that he could have better access to her neck. Her thoughts were hazy, filled with the need to touch him and feel him and be touched and felt by him. She had never felt so bold or warm. The emotions that pulsed through her body, accompanied by her overheated blood, were almost too much for her to bear. The heat in her chest was so like the fire she had experienced in her dream, and yet so different at the same time. It burned, but it felt… _good_.

When his busy hands had finished their work, Syaoran pulled his head back up to stare at the princess. _'My princess,'_ he thought possessively. The dress still hung protectively over her body—that would soon be changed, but the allure of _almost_ being able to see her skin aroused him further. He looked at her lips, so soft and pink and moist. They had touched his forehead; now, he wanted them to touch his lips. He leaned slightly forward, only to discover that she mirrored his movements. _'Finally…' _

Just before their lips touched, he knew it was time to say it. Before he took her, he would say it. "Sakura… I—"

He was stopped by a loud crash from outside, followed by good-natured laughter. It was Kilala. Distantly, the couple heard, "Okay, okay, I acknowledge that you are the stronger of us, Amayah." Another laugh. "Now let me up!"

Immediately, the connection was broken. The desire, however, still lingered.

Seeing the princess' innocent face, Syaoran knew that he could not continue. "Sakura…" Syaoran's voice was husky and low as he struggled to contain himself. "I…" he could not finish. Instead, he groaned and turned away from her, his arms covering his red face. Coupled with the intense moment in itself, it was all the boy could do not to envelope her in his embrace once more. She was so beautiful and caring; he wanted to have her all to himself forever.

Sakura was confused and slightly worried. She pushed herself off him as the back of her hand came up against her lips, covering her mouth. With her other hand, she kept her dress up. "Wh-what, Syaoran…?" She stared at him; her gentle gems were a bit injured and sad, glistening with the promise of tears.

Following a long, drawn out breath, Syaoran turned, and his gaze was pulled once again to the princess. When he saw her expression, so tender and vulnerable, he could not help himself: he wrapped his long arms around her slim, frail body and held her tightly against him. Immediately, he felt her heart surge at their close contact, but the boy simply was not able to stop himself. He breathed in the scent of her smooth, soft hair. _'Cherry blossoms,' _he thought. _'And lavender, too. And… lemon? A little bit of lemon.'_

Sakura blushed as never before as she felt him hug her. His strong, hard yet soft arms wrapped completely around her small frame, making her feel safe and protected and oh, so warm. It felt so _right_. Unbeknownst to her, the girl began to glow slightly, a warm, soft light emanating from her small frame. A small purr of pleasure eased from her mouth. "Mmmm…"

Syaoran chuckled. "I like this world…" he said as he absently stroked her still-bare back.

"Mmm?"

"You glow sometimes… And there's an aura around you that hasn't been there before."

Sakura was a bit confused. "I do…?"

Syaoran nodded and yawned a bit. Before he could lose his nerve, he tipped over to the side with the princess still secured in his strong arms until they were lying together once more. He saw Sakura's bright blush on her face, accented by her glow, and he laughed. "So cute…" he observed, his warm, dark amber eyes gently staring at her.

The princess' cheeks went up in smoke, and a small squeak erupted from her soft mouth. The proximity of their bodies was almost painfully apparent once more, and Sakura's heart could not take so much intensity; but the girl was held captive by his gaze, unable to turn away.

So, she snuggled closer. "S-Syaoran…" she whispered. She was answered by a dazzling smile that filled her soul. "You're so warm…"

Syaoran blushed slightly at her words. "I-I'm glad you think so, Sakura…"

Then, the girl yawned softly. "You should sleep," he suggested, tentatively rubbing her back. There was still a fair amount of time before sunrise, and Syaoran was aware that they had a big day ahead of them before tomorrow. Interpreting the princess' soft, sleepy smile as a response, Syaoran chuckled. "Good night, my Hime."

Sakura stopped short of replying. He had called her "Hime" once more, but… he had said it with such affection that she was certain he had not meant it to be formal or insulting—no, never insulting. He had said it as—dare she think it—a pet name for her. The girl could feel her face becoming hot with happiness and shyness once more. Her heart swelled until she believed it would burst forth from her chest in a fit of unrelenting joy. The princess beamed, her entire body glowing a soft gold color. Finally, she could respond. "Good night, Syaoran."

And the two closed their eyes and slowly drifted to sleep in the warmth of one another's arms.

… … …

"Oh, dear. I think we should have knocked, Kuro-pin," Fai murmured with a chuckle.

It was morning, and the first thing Syaoran thought when he opened his eyes and saw a slender magician, a red-eyed ninja, and a white jelly bean was, _'Oh, shit.'_ Blood immediately rushed to the boy's face as his arms instinctively tightened around Sakura, who was still sleeping soundly, nestled on his left bicep. She lay with as much of her body pressed against him as was possible, and her legs were entangled in his. The right shoulder of her moon cloth dress had slipped a bit down her arm, revealing a fair amount of creamy white skin. Her cheeks were gently blushing with sleep, and a slight smile captured her lips. If the situation were different, Syaoran would have paused to fully analyze her beauty. The only thing he noticed—and thanked the gods of this world for—was that her dress was still undone, but was mostly covered up by the blanket.

Kurogane growled softly at the nick name. "Time to get up, kid. Breakfast is waiting. Oh, and you got some explaining to do." The threat was evident in his tone: _If you did anything to that girl…_

Syaoran swallowed hard, ever conscious of the three pairs of eyes focused on his body contact with the princess. "Y-yes. Well, you see, last night was kind of cold, a-and there was only one bed, and the princess had a nightmare, and, well, it was better that we, uh, sleep like this because… well, because…"

"Sakura and Syaoran layin' in a tree! (Literally!) S-L-E-E-P-IN-G!" Mokona chanted as it giggled.

Syaoran's face became redder. He tried to shift so that he could sit up, but the princess—still sleeping soundly—moved so that she was almost halfway on top of him. Her small, frail hand gently gripped the collar of his shirt, and Syaoran could feel her warm, soft breath on his neck. The boy's cheeks went up in flame. "U-um, could you maybe wait for us at the base of the tree—p-please?"

"Oh, Syaoran-kuuun! You want to have Sakura-chan's sleepy morning face all to yourself, huh? That's so mean!" Fai teased.

Kurogane sighed and gave Syaoran one more warning look before grabbing Fai and throwing the magician over his shoulder, like a sack of potatoes. With his free hand, the ninja took Mokona by its head and began to walk toward the door. "Don't make us wait long," was the only thing the ninja said before exiting. Fai's and Mokona's protests could be heard for a few moments as the trio made their descent.

Syaoran sighed and brought his gaze back to the princess. She was so gorgeous he could hardly stand it. Gently, his hand rose to tentatively shake her bare shoulder. "S-Sakura? It's morning, time to wake up, my Hime."

"Mmmm…" the princess murmured, reluctant to get up. She mumbled something else that he could not decipher, then cuddled deeper into the blankets. She wanted to remember her blissful dream just a little more.

"Please wake up?" Syaoran pleaded. He pulled the blanket off her body gently, but that only succeeded in exposing her bare back and shoulders to him while making her snuggle closer to his warmth. A blush once again warmed his cheeks. Oh, how he wanted to just let her sleep like that!

After a bit, the princess decided that she needed to stop living in her world of dreams. As amazing as that last dream had been, it was time to face the world. Her eyes fluttered open so gracefully and beautifully that Syaoran was stunned for a moment, though she did not notice. The princess, yawning, pushed herself onto her elbows, not noticing her dress, which was slipping dangerously low. "Good morning, Syaoran…"

Syaoran cleared his throat and tried unsuccessfully to avert his gaze from the soft, pale valley that could be clearly seen, though the small hills were still covered. "Uh, g-good morning, S-Sakura."

"What's wro—" The princess' eyes widened; she was fully awake now, and painfully aware of the situation she was in. She sprang up in a sitting position, which was difficult due to the fact that Syaoran's legs were still tangled in her own, and pulled her dress up to cover her meager chest. Her face was aflame. She stuttered an apology before remembering her shameless dream once more. Though it seemed impossible, her face burned brighter. Her aura glowed more intensely, a bright pink color to accent her blush. "U-um, excuse me for a-a moment." Sakura got off the bed and stood with her back to him, retreating to the far corner of the room to fix her dress. However, it became painfully apparent to her that, because she had never dressed herself in this before, she did not know how to secure the ties on her dress once again.

Syaoran almost chuckled at her awkward innocence. He rose from the bed and paced toward her, where he took her dress in one hand and her hand in another. "Please, Hime, allow me."

Again, his voice held such affection in it that she was somewhat pleased he called her that. However, she was slightly embarrassed that she was unable to fix her own clothing. A fresh blush arose when he began to fasten the ties on her; his fingers gently tickled her skin again, just like she dreamed they had the night before. Memories flooded back of her glorious dream. She must have undone her dress in her sleep or something.

Great, another thing to be embarrassed about.

Just as he finished, and just as she was hoping to forget about her dream, Syaoran spoke. "Sakura, I think that… that we need to talk about what happened last night."

**A/N: Thank you for reading! Hehe, in apology for making you wait such a long time, I added a few steamy bits and made it longer. Enjoy? :D **

**Reviews are appreciated: Let me know how I'm doing! **

**I'll get the next chapter out as soon as possible. Hopefully, it won't be too long. **


	5. Chapter 5: Tension

**A/N: And here is Chapter Five! :) I feel as if I've been neglecting Fai and Kurogane, even though they play a huge part of the story as well. Forgive me! I'm just not quite as familiar with them as I am with Syaoran and Sakura. **

**As for Mokona, I'm not even going to lie, the little fuzz ball is mostly here for comic relief and to serve as a window between the Dimensional Witch and our band of travelers. **

**Knock Out the Jackalope: Eep! :D Thank you! Hehe, I am glad that my strategy worked! ;) When I read your review, I must admit, I squealed in happiness… and then opened this up and started to work on it like a madwoman who did not have three essays due this week! **

**Also… after rereading Chapter 4, I realized that I had capitalized the "Night" when Syaoran and Sakura were telling one another "Good Night"—dang it, there I did it again. I didn't mean to—it just slipped out that way because when I type Good Night, I capitalize both words… For emphasis? To declare my love? Both very plausible reasons. Anyway. I'm stalling. ON WITH THE STORY!**

**DISCLAIMER: I definitely do not own Tsubasa Chronicle… all credit goes to its rightful owner(s)! :D **

**Reviews are appreciated: Let me know how I'm doing! :D **

**Chapter Five: Tension**

Once on the forest floor, Kurogane unceremoniously dumped Fai and Mokona on the ground.

"Oh, Kuro-meanie is so cruel!" Fai whined, though his fake smile was ever-present. He rose up to stand beside Kurogane, and Mokona jumped into his arms.

The ninja simply scoffed. "Your own fault you couldn't land on your feet." _'Besides, why did I have to carry the stupid magician? He coulda come down his own damn self. 'Snot like I care.' _

Fai just looked up at the sky, smiling still, laughing as if he had heard Kurogane's thought.

"What you laughing at, blondie?" Kurogane growled. _'Stupid magician. Crazy. Laughing outta nowhere like that. ' _

Fai lowered his laughter to a mere chuckle. "Oh, nothing, Kuro-silly. Nothing." He paused. "But, do you think that something… odd has occurred between the princess and Syaoran-kun?"

The red-eyed man acknowledged it. "So it wasn't only me who noticed. I dunno what it is, though. Kid musta done something weird."

"Actually, I believe that it may have spawned from Sakura-chan. Haven't you noticed something different about her since we got her feather back?"

'_What is he getting at?_' The ninja thought. "No, not really. She's a little happier."

Fai sighed. "Kuro-tan, you can be so dense sometimes! Sakura-chan has been _glowing_."

Kurogane blinked, then growled at the nick name. "Glowing?" '_That magician is a helluva lot more crazy than I thought he was. Stupid.' _

Fai chuckled once more. "Yes, glowing. I may be more sensitive to her aura than you are because I am a sorcerer, but I believe that since the last feather was returned to her, she has… I'm not sure how to phrase it in a way you would understand, but—"

'_I ain't stupid!' _

"I believe that she may have gained… powers. That, or the powers she had prior to losing her feathers have awakened," Fai continued.

Kurogane paused to consider that for a moment. "What powers do you think she might have?"

"Oh, I haven't an idea in the slightest, Kuro-puppy," Fai cheerily expressed.

The ninja scoffed, but otherwise did not say anything. _'Maybe it has something to do with the way Fai was twisting around in his sleep last night, screaming about something like "wings" or whatever. Psh.'_

"I screamed last night?" Fai asked. Then, immediately, he regretted it.

"What are you talkin' about, magician?" Kurogane demanded, turning toward Fai menacingly.

Fai put his hands up defensively, backing away from the ninja as his smile became more forced. "Oh, nothing, Kuro-silly, nothing, I promise."

'_Crazy magician.'_ But, sometimes, Kurogane felt as if Fai knew what was going on in his mind without even looking at him. It was frightening to the ninja—if Fai were aware of some of the things that went on inside his brain, Kurogane would never be able to face the blonde again.

… … …

The princess stiffened. "L-last night?" In her mind, she was panicking. Had she voiced anything during her sleep?

Still behind her, Syaoran said, "Yes… I believe that… perhaps my actions were a bit forward."

"Your… actions?" Sakura was confused. She turned to face him, only to see that his face was red with embarrassment.

In order to distract himself from his embarrassment, he began to equip the accessories he had removed the night before: his gloves, cloak, and boots. "Y-yes. I wanted to apologize."

"Apolo…gize…" Her bewilderment was tangible.

Syaoran blinked. Did she not remember? "Yes… for, you know… what happened after you woke up from that awful dream."

Sakura's hands flew up to her face. It was all making sense now. _'Oh, my goodness.' _"Y-you mean, all th-that really h-h-happened? It wasn't a dream?"

"What?" Now it was Syaoran's turn to be confused.

"I-I thought that I had a dream last night—after the… the burning dream. And, in it, I was… we were… going to… And I thought it was a dream, because it just felt so good, and…" Sakura's voice trailed off as she realized what she had said. A blush rose to her face and she turned from him once more.

"It, um… It wasn't a dream." Syaoran chuckled awkwardly. "And… I was thinking that maybe it's a good idea that we don't sleep together anymore."

Sakura's eyes widened with tears while her aura sunk down to a cold blue. She wrapped her arms around herself. "U-um, okay. I-I'm sorry for what happened last night, then." It was becoming difficult to breathe. "Perhaps we should… go now." She hurried to put on her cloak and shoes, never once looking at Syaoran. He regretted it. She knew. He regretted doing anything with her. She disgusted him. He would start calling her by her title, formally, again. She knew it. Just as she reached the door, a lump in her throat, tears pricking her jade eyes, Syaoran caught her arm.

"N-No, Sakura, please." Still, she refused to look at him. Sighing, Syaoran took both of her arms in his hands and turned her to face him.

Her eyes were downcast, but he could see them glistening with tears. Instantly, he felt awful for saying what he had. "Sakura, please look at me."

She shook her head, and her body chilled.

"Sakura…" He began to advance until he was pinning her to the wall. One of his hands caressed her face while the other rested beside her head on the wood. Now, her misty eyes were caught in his intense gaze. For a moment, only the gentle breeze rustling the leaves outside dared to make a sound. "Last night was one of the best nights of my existence. No, please look at me. I promise you, it was. It's just that… Sakura, when I-I'm with you... like last night… and like this… it's hard for me to…" He paused.

"To what?" Her voice was small and almost frightened.

He gulped as he stared at her lips. "Control myself." Syaoran pushed himself away from her before he could do anything else. He turned and slowly began walking toward the door.

'_!'_ Syaoran screamed inside his head. He knew it. He knew he'd hurt her. But, oh, Kami, how his own heart ached. He had not thought that telling her what he had told her… would bring himself so much pain. After all, was he not protecting her by doing so? Now her body, her innocence, would not be marred at his hands. What he had said was indeed true: If they were left alone with one another, it would only be a matter of time before he lost his already shaky control. No, he had done the right thing. Hadn't he?

Sakura trembled. This could not be happening. Just when she had begun to hope, to believe that she might be able to further her relationship with Syaoran, he tells her this. Was she overreaching herself from the start? Syaoran obviously did not believe that they had a future together. Or was he just being cautious because she was a princess? What was he really thinking at the moment? Why did he have to cut off their not-quite relationship so quickly? What was wrong; what had she done; why couldn't she fix this; what was wrong with her? So many questions raged inside her, and yet the only thing the girl could feel was how much her heart hurt and how much her body wanted Syaoran to stay by her side, to ease the pain and bring her pleasure.

With his retreating footsteps, he slowly separated her fragile heart from her body. Stretching, tearing, ripping… It hurt so badly. Instinctively, she fought against the pain. Her hand rose to clutch against her chest, striving in vain to keep her heart inside her own body. Tears filled the girl's eyes. She had to stop this.

Her tiny foot took a single, small step forward. "W-wait…" Her voice was so diminutive she was certain that he did not hear her. The boy kept going, but Sakura could no longer find her voice. Her heart continued to tear, to rip. She had to do something.

When he felt a small but tenacious grip on his cloak, Syaoran was surprised. He whipped around only to receive a chestful of caramel hair, jade eyes, and tears. His eyes widened. "S-Sakura?" Hesitantly, he moved to gently hold her tiny shoulders in his hands. Her skin was like ice.

Sakura clutched at his body, trying to stay on her feet. "I'm sorry… But please… please…" A sob choked her for a moment, followed by a hiccup.

Syaoran melted to his knees, still holding the princess. His mind and heart were warring with one another. "No, I'm sorry…" The grip on his shirt hardened and he could feel her body quake. How could he do this? He couldn't do this, he couldn't do this. He had to do this. But her body was so cold… But he did not want to risk her hating him.

"Please…" his princess whimpered. His grip on her tightened. He could not do this…

"Sakura, but I—" His thoughts were interrupted suddenly; his body tensed. He sensed something in the air, but could not identify what until the moment was upon him—almost too late. Gasping a quick breath, he launched forward to sweep Sakura off her feet and tumbled with her out the window to narrowly avoid a flaming boulder that had hit the tree house.

Breathing hard, Syaoran attempted to right himself before he and the princess hit the ground, but a tree caught his side and whipped him around. Another branch did the same, scratching his face and spinning them toward a trunk—he braced himself for impact, closing his eyes. "Sakura…" he whispered, clutching her closer for a millisecond. Had he failed her?

A small, frail whimper escaped her lips. It had all happened too fast, too fast. A boulder? Syaoran had saved her from the blow, but they now barreled uncontrollably toward the forest floor, hitting the branches and trees on the way down. No, this could not happen. There was so much life ahead of them—if not for herself, then surely for Syaoran. Even if they managed to survive the fall, there was little hope for them to continue their adventure. There had to be some way to stop this. But there was no time, no time…

Bright green flew up to meet her face, threatening her, but a soft gold light slowed the couple's fall for a second before ending their descent entirely. Another second passed, during which the gold light caressed the couple in the air sacredly, almost protectively, and then the two teenagers were laid down on the forest floor. Fai and Kurogane ran up beside the couple, and Syaoran stood, still clutching the princess firmly. The boy look Sakura over once to make sure she was all right, and breathed a small sigh of relief as he found she was mostly unscathed.

"Sakura-chan, Syaoran-kun! Are you okay?" Mokona demanded, worried.

Still panting from the excitement, Sakura nodded, then turn to Fai. "Thank you for saving us, Fai-san," she offered, though her eyes were still a bit teary.

Fai blinked, "But I—"

"Little One! Protector!" Kilala called as she raced gracefully toward them. Her stride was so lengthy and fluid she seemed to float on the forest floor, her feet barely making contact with the soft grass. Finally, she came to an abrupt, yet smooth stop beside the group. The elf still wore her long hair down, but she had attached a dagger to a moon cloth belt that hung from her hips, another dagger to the inside of her thigh, and a shirt to her torso. Her feline attributes seemed enhanced—her bright eyes shone fiercely in the muted sunlight, her fangs seemed to have grown. Her claws had even lengthened to deadly spikes, from which dripped a suspicious-looking black liquid. Sakura noticed that the elf carried the bow and arrows Sakura had used the day before. "Are you seriously injured?"

Amayah slinked beside her sister, crouching low to the ground. In the panther's mouth was a long piece of moon cloth wrapped around several long…somethings.

Syaoran took a short once-over on the princess (yet again) and then nodded, knowing that he was fine except for a few scratches. He gently set Sakura down on her feet, but did not relinquish her hand as of yet.

Kurogane took a menacing step toward the elf and demanded, "What the hell is happening?"

Kilala replied softly and quickly, her voice so grave that Sakura shivered. Even the elf seemed flustered, and it reflected in her speech. "The Kahandras—mountain children, rather—are attacking. The Father Mountain is guiding their movements, and they have breached the outer rim of the forest. They have brought with them catapults and clubs and Singresha—giant lizards who spit poison. Our warriors are keeping them at bay for the moment, but the Kahandras are driven by the Father Mountain's urgings. They can only be stopped if the Father Mountain is calmed. It is time to depart."

Syaoran nodded solemnly in return. "I understand. Is there any way to keep Sakura safe while I—"

Her small, high voice pierced through his deep one determinedly. "I am coming," Sakura resolutely interrupted. The girl put her hand out for her long bow and arrows, and Kilala, almost smiling, handed the instrument to Sakura.

There was no time for arguing. With a short sigh of resignation, Syaoran turned to Kurogane only to be stopped by Amayah, who spit out her load with something like disgust onto the floor beneath his feet. Now the cloth lay spread out under its contents: a long, heavy, pure ebony katana whose hilt was wrapped in deep crimson cloth and whose sheath (also night-black) lay tied to it; a longer staff of icy white that ended in a complex design of embellished circles; and finally, a long, slim, simple yet fluid sword of silver whose sheath was a deep chocolate brown and whose hilt was gold and black, wrapped in bright red cloth. All three objects released a small wave of power as they were unveiled—the air seemed to quiver around them. The panther nudged the weapons forward with her delicate nose, and locked eyes with Syaoran for a full ten seconds before backing away into her sister. The boy could feel the wisdom and intensity emanating from the former elf.

Kilala was the first to break the silence. "These are your armaments—our greatest smiths and even the Tree Mother herself have altered them. They are exactly the same way as when you first came onto our world, save for being faster, lighter, and much, much more powerful."

Kurogane's eyebrow twitched. _'I liked my old sword!' _Still, he bent down to grasp his new weapon. Untying the thing from its sheath, the ninja made a few experimental slices through the air. Then, leaping forcefully, he sliced a tree in half as if it were butter. Kilala's eyes flashed, but she did not move. Grudgingly, he allowed, "Acceptable."

Fai took his own staff without complaint. He merely murmured a slight 'thank you' as he balanced the staff in his hand, studying it intently with a distracted smile. He leaned back and nodded to himself in approval.

Syaoran picked up his own modified weapon with determination, and was surprised to discover that the sword lifted slightly to meet his hand. The boy's eyes widened as he noted the instrument was warm, almost hot, to the touch. He held the sword in one hand, its sheath in the other, and felt the two objects humming slightly within him. His body felt warmer as well, and it took him a moment to realize that the blade was glowing ever so slightly red. Quickly sheathing the weapon and attaching it to his belt, Syaoran stood straight once more. Power surged through his veins; he was ready.

Kilala seemed to think as much. With a slight, rushed grin, she flexed her hand; her claws glinted in the sun. "Now, let us go. Follow me," she purred quietly. After giving the group a moment to collect themselves, she began to run, Amayah following close behind.

Syaoran attempted to pick the princess up in his arms per usual, but she winced and backed away from him, poorly disguised sadness in her eyes. "You don't have to carry me; I will run myself," Sakura quietly murmured, retreating a few steps before launching in pursuit of Kilala. Her thin, frail body emanated waves of freezing despair—literally, the air around her was chilled, and her aura was a dark blue. She slung the quiver over her shoulder but kept her bow at the ready in her hands, tensed and worried.

Syaoran was left for a moment in astonishment. She had… refused his touch. Flinched away from it. What had he done? Shaking his head and beginning to follow closely behind his freezing princess, Syaoran felt his heart tear once more. _'There's no hope,' _he thought. He caught the gaze of Fai and quickly looked down.

Fai's ever-present smile turned sad. He adjusted his lithe body so that he ran beside Syaoran. "Do not give up," he quietly offered.

Syaoran scoffed, then shook his head once more. "Let's just get the feather."

Kilala led the group expertly through the maze of trees and vines, but halted suddenly at the edge of the forest. Where the tree line ended, four mountain children patrolled, carrying clubs and looking very angry. Kilala quietly whispered, "There is no way to evade them. We must fight. I fear there is no other way."

Sakura's eyes widened and her aura grew colder with alarm. "But we mustn't kill them! It isn't their fault they act like this…" she whispered back.

Kilala considered this for a moment, looking at the princess strangely. "Yes… That is true. We shall incapacitate the creatures. Syaoran, Kurogane, Fai? Are you able to do so?"

The three nodded solemnly, with the exception of Kurogane, who scoffed at such a question. "Then let us go," the elf suggested.

Fai handed Mokona over to Sakura, who took the little being, grateful to have something warm against her body. The princess felt Amayah stalk to her side and wondered why the panther did not join in the battle. She looked at Amayah worriedly; however, her concern was not reflected in the eyes of the former elf. "You're right; they'll be fine," the princess murmured.

Amayah pulled back her lips in an exotic smile and dipped her head.

When the party (excluding Sakura and Mokona) stepped out of the cover of the trees, the mountain children snarled and stamped their feet, beating their chests wildly.

Kilala hissed at them. "So, it is true. You have lost your powers of speech to the Father Mountain's greed." Then, turning to her companions, the elf said, "There is no time to dally. Let us dispatch them quickly; there is one for each of us."

'_Finally, a chance to test my strength once more!'_ Kurogane thought as he leapt into the air, his sword raised high. His target was the largest of the mountain children, who towered over himself by several meters—the one who seemed strongest, but unfortunately, also the most stupid. With a swift, hard kick, the ninja once again felt the thrill of battle raging through his veins. He had missed this—the adrenaline, the physical strain, the knowledge that one wrong move might mean defeat and maybe even death. Regrettably, he acknowledged the fact that he was not allowed to kill or even seriously maim his adversary; but he would have to find consolation in the fact that he was fighting at all.

The mountain child clumsily raised its club to deflect Kurogane's kick; the creature's raw strength prevented injury, though the wooden club was cracked in two with the force of the blow. With a short roar, the mountain child raised its fists to catch the ninja by his middle and succeeded in gaining a hold = for only a moment. The creature squeezed, stupidly grinning until it saw the look on Kurogane's face.

It was a twisted smile, a murderous smile. _'How stupid. To fall into my trap so easily… This will be fun.' _With a short, fierce grunt, the ninja strained his muscles, pushing against the huge hands of the mountain child with his arms and legs and even his air. The mountain child, in its confusion, loosened its grip for a short moment—that was its fatal mistake. _'One wrong move.'_ Kurogane burst forth from between its fingers and came to a rest on the mountain child's chest. The ninja's left hand tenaciously gripped the mountain child's eyebrow in order to remain on the creature's body; his right hand held the sword, still encased securely in its sheath.

With a swift, strong blow to the forehead, the mountain child was brought down, and Kurogane came to a rest beside the creature, his red eyes still glinting with the thrill of conquest. The ninja looked around to check if anyone needed assistance; upon noticing that they did not, he ran up to Sakura—the girl seemed frightened.

Fai was doing well, as was expected; the mountain child was far too sluggish to keep up with his incredible speed. Within minutes, the poor creature was dizzy with confusion and irritated by the small blows inflicted upon him by the magician. Finally, with a small smile, Fai knocked the mountain child on its head sharply, effectively knocking it unconscious.

Kilala's fighting style was interesting, exotic. Determined not to irreparably harm the mountain child before her, the elf took great pains to curl her fists so that her claws did not puncture the skin of the mountain child—her poisons would surely kill it. She crawled atop its back to deliver a swift and decisive blow to the head.

Syaoran was distracted, angry. He was almost caught by the edge of a fist every so often; almost bludgeoned by a club more than once. He used the hilt of his sword to deliver a quick succession of blows that eventually pushed his opponent to the ground—the beginnings of bruises dotted the creature's stomach and chest, and blood was drawn in several places. The boy paused before kicking its head almost brutally. He blinked at himself—he had let his emotions get the best of him. He was no good this way. A glance at the princess' despairing face confirmed his suspicions.

Turning to Kilala, the boy said quickly, "Can we continue?" before receiving an irritated blow to the head. Syaoran reached up behind him to rub the spot, facing the one who had struck him.

"Don't get distracted. Shit like that will get you killed; you know that," Kurogane growled.

Fai's smile did not reflect the concern in his voice. "Kuro-tan has a point, Syaoran-kun. If you aren't focused on the battle, especially with that eye of yours, you're putting yourself in that much more danger."

Syaoran's eyes darkened considerably as his head bent down. "I know. I'm sorry, Kurogane-san; Fai-san."

Kilala raised an eyebrow. "Perhaps we should hurry, then." And with that, the group was on their way once more.

They quickly passed by the site where Syaoran and his party had first come into this world, but did not pause in their journey. Precious minutes were passing by.

"Hey, elf, we gonna run all the damn way there?" demanded an angry red-eyed ninja.

Kilala turned to growl slightly at him, but Amayah hissed at her sister. Kilala relented, "Perhaps you are right, Sister… There is another way to travel, faster. If we were to continue on foot like this, it may take as long as three hours to reach our destination, but…" Kilala nodded once to her sister and then cupped her hands around her mouth. The elf closed her eyes and let out a long, deep note of incomparable clarity toward the woods. Amayah joined her with a slow growl.

It was not long before there was movement in the trees. Syaoran stepped in front of the princess and crouched in preparation for a fight—but what he saw made him straighten in surprise.

Four massive beings emerged from the trees—one red wolf the size of a car, one grizzly bear twice as large, one milky white buck with antlers that spanned several meters, and one brightly colored tiger whose whiskers could act as branches.

Sakura's mouth hung in amazement. How was this possible? Or, perhaps even more astonishing: how had they not noticed these hulking creatures while in the forest?

Kilala purred and bowed before the row of huge animals that now lined up before the group of people, prompting the rest of her companions to do the same. Amayah stepped forward to dip her head to the creatures reverently. The tiger touched noses with the former elf—and Amayah's fur rippled as she felt a surge of strength surge through her veins. When she opened her eyes, they flashed with power.

"These," purred Kilala, "are spirits of the forest."

**A/N: I hope you enjoyed it! I'm sorry this chapter took a while to complete… :/ Additionally, I don't think it turned out quite as well as I had hoped it would... I believe you will be pleased to note that the next chapter will be infinitely more dramatic and emotionally-charged. :D And hopefully done soon. **

**Reviews are insanely appreciated: Let me know what you think! :)**

**DISCLAIMER: I own nothing of Tsubasa Chronicle. **


	6. Chapter 6: Wings

**And here is Chapter 6! **

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Tsubasa Chronicle…. DX **

**Knock Out the Jackalope: Thank you for the review! :D It always makes me insanely happy to see your reviews. Hehe, yes, I know! I just had to add that bit in for tensional purposes. *wink, wink* Plus, I felt that I needed to establish that line that Syaoran still feels as if he is ONLY her protector, nothing more, and therefore he has no right to treat her like a lover. However! That does not mean in any way, shape, or form, that they will not sleep together ever again! (I would have a heart attack if that happened, being the insane fangirl that I am, hehe.) **

**Reviews are appreciated: let me know how I'm doing! :) **

**Chapter 6: Wings**

The wind blew across the land in sweeping glances, soft patterns. It planted gentle touches on leaves, branches, fur, skin. It stole kisses and returned breath. The wind's caress was that of a lover's, its unpredictable motions the same as those of one with a living, breathing, erratic heart. The landscape welcomed the breeze with open arms and tender coaxes, relishing the flutter of cool that the wind brought.

Animals paused to sniff the air, and closed their eyes in appreciation to the wind's kiss, then went about their business once more. Plants swelled toward the comforting touch almost as much as they did toward the rays of their beloved sun. The elves did not have the luxury of savoring the relaxation discovered in the wind, however; battle still raged in their homeland.

The four spirits of the forest stood like so many magnificent statues. They were serene, wise, kind in appearance—though just as fierce, dark, and protective. The wind's caresses swam through the thick coats of these creatures as if it had a bit of difficulty finding its way through—or perhaps even the wind looked upon the spirits reverently.

The wolf came forward and dipped its massive, majestic head towards the party. Its eyes were sparkling gold flecked with dark brown while its fur was a deep brown, sometimes red or silver in places. All the strands were smoothed silkily to perfection—Sakura wanted to run her fingers through the thick coat.

"They have agreed to lend us their speed—nothing more as of yet," Kilala murmured, still bowing to the spirits. It was only when the tiger padded forward to touch its nose to the top of her head did the elf look up. The remainder of the party did so as well. "Because there are five of us and only four of them, I trust that Little One and Protector would not mind to be carried by the same spirit?"

Syaoran looked towards the princess, but she only looked away and said, "It is your decision." Her aura grew colder with sadness and her hand came up to clutch her chest.

The boy nodded to her, his heart painfully throbbing in his chest. Had he pushed her away this much? "Then we will ride on the same spirit." With a quick glance to the spirits, he added, "Providing it allows us to."

"Then it is settled. Great spirits, please choose your most suitable companions," Kilala announced, backing away reverently and kneeling on the ground, her face downcast. Her companions followed suit.

The grizzly bear moved toward them, and though its thick, luxurious coat rippled with each massive step, no sound came from beneath its paws. Immediately the giant spirit turned its attention towards the ninja, who sucked in a breath of anticipation. Kurogane felt a gust of forceful wind, warm and powerful, on his face, and he looked up only to find his face inches away from the bear's shiny, huge black nose. The spirit seemed to be sniffing, but no sound came from the creature. Kurogane stood up, and the bear lifted its head to touch Kurogane ever so softly on the top of the head; the ninja nodded solemnly and climbed atop the great spirit, sitting on its neck.

The tiger came to tickle Kilala's face with its whiskers gently, after which she leapt atop the creature as smoothly and lightly as possible. When the moonlight buck came to touch Fai's face with a moist nose, the magician close his eyes and lightly sprang up onto the buck's back, fitting easily between its shoulder blades.

The wolf loomed over Syaoran for a long moment before lowering its head to touch the boy's cheek with its nose and ruffle the boy's chocolate hair with its breath. Syaoran stood and held the gaze of the wolf for several seconds, his own eyes solemn and determined. The boy gestured toward Sakura for a moment, his steady amber eyes conveying that he wants Sakura to ride with him, then deftly climbed on the wolf's back.

The wolf turned its head and sniffed gently at the kneeling figure of Sakura. Its eyes widened for a moment, and Syaoran was slightly alarmed; the boy took up a defensive posture, ready to pounce off the wolf as it reached its massive head around Sakura to sniff at her back. The creature nuzzled the area between her shoulder blades, and Sakura could not help but giggle—it tickled. Her aura went pink around the edges—a pink that slowly seeped into the cold blue, changing it. The wolf was warming her with his breath on purpose, while at the same time inspecting her back. With its large tongue, the wolf pushed her cloak out of the way and pressed its moist, cold nose to her scantily-clad spine. It blew on her, and the blue changed immediately to a soft pink with gold around the edges. The princess blushed, trying not to laugh, as her protector watched on, a softer expression on his face.

Apparently satisfied, the wolf returned its head to the girl's head and used its muzzle to bring Sakura to her feet, its moist nose buried in her stomach. The spirit's eyes held her own for three seconds, and Sakura nearly drown in the wisdom she saw within its gold orbs—they reminded her of Syaoran's amber eyes. Then, Sakura gasped and smiled, finally realizing. Turning to Syaoran—at the moment forgetting her despair—the girl nodded and climbed onto the wolf's head via the muzzle buried in her stomach. Once there, she slid down until she was on its back, facing Syaoran. Her dress was pushed up to her thighs—a fact Syaoran did not fail to immediately notice.

The girl at once tried to turn her face away from his, but Syaoran gently caught her by her arms and her cheek and fixed her with his solemn, intense gaze for several seconds. Sakura's own green gems filled with tears, but he still held her, forcing her to look at him. As he opened his mouth to say something, the girl bit her lip and suddenly pushed her face closer to Syaoran's. Her aura tinged with desperation. "Please… please don't leave me…" she breathed. "I'm sorry." And she placed a kiss on his forehead so gentle and fleeting, so soft and brushing, that he could barely distinguish it from the breeze that ruffled through his hair.

Syaoran's eyes widened in shock for a moment, and before he could recover, the princess had turned around. Had that just happened? His arms wrapped around her waist, making her jump in surprise, and he pulled her against his body. Her head came up to his neck, while her legs curved neatly on one side of the wolf, resting against his left leg. He bent his head to put his lips beside her ear. "Never," he whispered. The princess shivered—his breath tickled her, and his proximity was making her skin tingle. The gold that rimmed her aura slowly seeped inward to flood her aura with brilliance. Syaoran moved his hands so that they were on either side of her, gripping gently the fur for support as the wolf moved forward, following their companions and leaving Amayah in the forest behind them. Sakura could feel the boy's smile as he pressed his lips to her shoulder, and she could not help but smile a brief, soft smile in return.

Within a matter of minutes, aided by the swiftness of the spirits, Syaoran and his companions came upon the largest mountain range he had ever seen, and at the center of this mountain range was the largest mountain he had ever seen.

Mokona, who had been hiding in Kurogane's shirt, peeked out and announced that it could feel Sakura's feather. Syaoran breathed a sigh of relief. "Can the spirits take us to where the feather is?" he asked.

Almost before the question was out of his mouth, the spirits lurched forward once more, forcing their riders to grip for dear life. "What—" Syaoran was interrupted.

"Who dares to enter into my territory?" a booming, frightening voice demanded. It was cold, hard. Almost lifeless. And burning with corruption.

Sakura felt a shiver rip through her body. "My feather…"

From behind her, Syaoran gripped her hand gently. "We'll get it, Sakura. I promise." He held her tighter, around the waist this time, as they continued to speed on toward the large mountain in the center.

The spirits did not stop when they came upon the foot of the mountain; they continued up, racing almost vertically, as their riders struggled to hang on—until they reached a cave halfway up the mountain. It was only then that the spirits paused.

"They can take us no further," Kilala murmured as she dismounted the tiger. With a brief parting kiss to its cheek, the elf turned to her companions, who had also gotten off their respective spirits. "And now, let us venture into this dark cave in order to purify the Father Mountain."

"And retrieve Sakura's feather," Syaoran determinedly said. "But it could be dangerous." He turned to the princess. "Perhaps you should stay here."

Sakura smiled and shook her head. "I knew you would say that. But don't worry—Mokona and I will be able to see fine. Isn't that why you like this world?" And the girl bravely stepped forward toward the darkness. She winced suddenly, cried out, and fell to her hands and knees. Syaoran stepped forward, alarmed, to help her, but she shouted, "No! Don't! I can do this."

She crawled forward one step, and pain once again shot through her entire body. She winced. She could feel a barrier repelling her, a barrier that sent pain through her each time she pressed against it.

She pressed again.

Placing her hand against the barrier, Sakura set her face and determinedly pushed against it experimentally. It stung. The barrier was strong, but not unbreakable. However… Looking at her hand, the girl found that it had become singed. She blinked and turned to her bow as her companions watched on—Syaoran was particularly concerned. Sakura stepped back, then told the others to do the same.

Syaoran put a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Sakura, what are you…?" A brief glance and a reassuring smile told him to let her do this. He blinked solemnly, nodded, and stepped back to give her room.

Sakura took an arrow from her quiver and put it to the bow, then gasped and almost dropped the thing. What was this… feeling? Could it be described as… power? She had never felt this before. She felt strength surge through her, but… but it hurt. However, there was no time to think. She had to retrieve her feather before any more innocent lives were claimed.

The girl once again prepared to shoot, and in an instant, she felt the power race through her body once more—all toward her fingers, toward the arrow and the bow in her hands. She loosed the arrow—and her power with it.

When the arrow made contact with the barrier, it shattered in a blast of white and gold that utterly destroyed both the arrow and the barrier.

The effect on her own body was as good as the same.

The pain was excruciating. At first, it was a cold pain—a pain that threatened to freeze her in its confines, encase her in pain. She deduced, in her torture, that the first pain was that of the barrier shattering. It was as if she had pressed through the barrier with her own body rather than through a weapon. She could feel her encasement shattering her body for a moment, could see the horror on Syaoran's face for a split second…

Before the fire came. She had felt it before, in her dream, but now she gasped at its intensity. As if in response to the destruction of her body, the fire came to lick her wounds, to melt her and mold her together again. But it hurt more this time than last time. She tried to open her mouth to scream, to release some of this unbearable pain, but the fire seeped into her lungs, consuming all her oxygen in an effort to keep itself going. It filled her throat, obstructing it. It filled her mouth, and her tongue, and her teeth. It filled her entire being.

There was nothing in her world but the fire and the pain.

Syaoran gasped and caught her just before she hit the floor. "Sakura!"

For several minutes, the boy tried to rouse her from her tortured slumber. He noted her heated body and pained expression, and it tore him apart. How could he have allowed her to do something so dangerous? The boy blinked away his tears and held his princess' body close to his own. Her skin was so hot, almost like fire.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, but what had only been forty-seven seconds, Sakura opened her eyes to the coolness of Syaoran's body. She clung to him like a long-lost lover, mooching off his comfortably-temperatured body, as he opened his eyes wide in surprise. "Sakura? Sakura!" He held her tightly.

The girl removed her cloak and tossed it aside feverishly, then took Syaoran's hands and pressed them to her cheeks. She put them on her arms, on her legs… on her heart. Though Syaoran did not understand, he went along with it, and when he placed his palm upon her throat, the girl finally spoke.

"Thank you." Her voice was hoarse, dry, as if all the moisture within her had disappeared.

His face softened. "Don't thank me…" he said, and then his face grew more serious. "I will never put you in harm's way again."

"But, Syaoran, I'm better now. You helped me through the fire again," the girl replied, a smile appearing on her face. "And I do believe that we have a feather to retrieve. So… let's go, Syaoran." She smiled wider, closed her eyes and cocked her head to one side. "Please?"

How could he refuse when she put on such a cute expression and pose? Syaoran felt himself blushing, and he covered his face with the back of his hand and cleared his throat. He looked away from her. "But, Sakura…"

He could feel her coming closer to him. "Syaoran…"

"Y-yes?"

"You promised me," she said gently, and she kissed his cheek. Then, she attempted to stand, though her legs were still a bit wobbly.

Syaoran immediately came out of his shyness and stood to aid her, recalling his promise that he would not leave her. "But, the cave is dark. Sakura and Mokona are unable to see without any light."

Sakura turned towards him once more as he bent to retrieve her cloak for her. After a quick, sweet word of thanks, Sakura said once again that Mokona and she would be able to see just fine. The girl stepped forward, and all her companions collectively stepped with her, alarmed.

Syaoran was confused. He followed her closely, protectively. "But, Saku—" It was then that he noticed that Sakura's aura had turned almost into a flashlight, bathing the hard rock of the cave with a soft gold light. "—ra…" The boy smiled. She was an angel.

Drawing her cloak more tightly around herself and holding her bow closer to her torso, Sakura stepped forth once more, Syaoran now by her side and the rest of her companions following her closely.

It was nothing but hard, brown rock for twenty minutes, and then they saw a chamber open up to a long, spiral flight of stairs. "Dammit," Kurogane muttered. Nevertheless, the party began to ascend.

Syaoran grew more and more apprehensive the longer they climbed. He could tell that Sakura was getting nervous and tired from how she jumped at any sudden noise and how her aura faded in and out. He took her hand reassuringly, both to calm her and himself, and she sent him a grateful glance. It was not until they heard Kurogane curse once more that the two teenagers realized they had made it to the top of the stairs. There was a heavy black door made of stone that blocked their way, but when Syaoran touched the doorknob, the whole thing crumbled to the floor. Sakura gripped his hand tighter, then released it so she could hold her bow with both hands, just in case. The party collectively stepped forward.

The doorway opened up to a brightly lit cavern walled and floored in dark crystals that glowed purple and blue. That same thunderous, corrupted voice they had heard before now sounded once more. "So, you have made it this far. Thanks to the girl, you were able to make it past the barrier I erected. I am surprised she is not dead. But that is no matter. For you all will perish, and I will absorb your power."

Now it was evident where the sound came from—the wall on the other end of the cavern. Each time a syllable from the voice rumbled, the wall would shine and glow. Perhaps at an earlier time, the glow would have been happy, encouraging; now, it was condemning and ominous, dark colors.

However, much more important—at least to Syaoran—was the fact that, in the very center of the room stood a large pillar, three meters wide, of pure diamond. Inside it was Sakura's feather which seemed almost to float within the stone.

"You will return Sakura's feather to us," Syaoran firmly growled, unsheathing his new sword. He felt that familiar spark of power flow through him once more.

The Father Mountain was silent, however Syaoran could not help but feel that the mountain had laughed at him. The boy's eyes widened and he whirled around just in time to deflect a crystal dagger that had been thrown toward his head. In another instant, he jumped to barely dodge two others.

Syaoran could not determine the source of the attacks. Were they… No. The daggers were coming from the walls themselves. He had only the time to utter a quick shout before…

The barrage began.

Sakura backed toward the door just in time to narrowly avoid a particularly large crystal, and ducked to avoid another. Left, right, dodge, there was no time. Her mind was caught in a haze of sparkling death; until, finally, her back was pressed against the wall—just as a crystal passed through it. The dagger caught the side her neck and nearly sliced it in two. The girl gasped at the pain and brought her hand up to her pulsing neck just in time to find herself in the way of a blunt crystal.

The crystal made contact with her side, but due to the moon cloth she was wearing, the impact did nothing but knock her over—albeit a bit hard—to the floor. The girl managed to protect her bow and quiver from the fall, but her head suffered two painful knocks, one against the wall and another on the floor. At the moment of impact, Sakura could not stop the small, desperate cry of Syaoran's name.

The boy turned toward her voice. At the sight of his princess lying on the ground with crimson running down her beautiful face, Syaoran called out her name in rage and with the slightest amount of fear. He cursed and ran to her, knelt beside her, ignoring the crystal daggers that threatened to cut him in half by holding up his moon cloth cloak. His princess' beautiful eyes fluttered and her usually clear, bright emeralds were hazy with pain.

It took a moment for her eyes to focus on him; she slipped dangerously close to unconsciousness. Sakura felt with no small amount of terror the slight heat that radiated from the center of her body. Would the fire return? "Sy-Syaoran, I—I'm fine. How can we stop the—"

An ear-splitting scream rang through the cavern. The two teenagers turned to the source of the sound only to see Kilala clutching her stomach and sinking to her knees. There was a dark liquid flowing beneath her clawed hands.

Sakura sat up in alarm. "K… Kilala… No!" Ignoring the throbbing pain and heat in her, Sakura scrambled to her feet and, tripping once, raced to Kilala's body, putting her hands on the elf's shoulders. The princess called the elf's name once more.

Kilala collapsed into Sakura's shoulder, breathing heavily. It hurt so badly. No injury she had sustained thus far had been so invasive or intense. The elf was disgusted by the liquid running out of her body. It covered up her tattoos. She felt Little One pull her up slightly.

The thunderous voice rumbled through the cavern once more in a laugh as a crystal whizzed past Sakura's head, grazing her cheek and decorating her face with a line of red. "One down," it said.

Kilala gazed up into Sakura's jade pools, her own gold ones slightly unfocused. The elf turned her head to the side in order to cough. "L-little One… you must… you must retrieve your feather…"

"B-but Kilala! You… you're hurt," was the only thing the girl could say. She felt Syaoran standing guard beside them, using his sword, sheath, and cloak to reflect the crystal torpedoes that continued to pelt the group.

Kilala coughed once more, this time painting her lips dark red. Licking the liquid away, the elf tried to speak. "No, Little One… It is too late for me. See? My tattoos… they are fading… My sister… Amayah, she must already know." For the first time, tiny, clear tears ran down the elf's cheeks. "But you must succeed in cleansing the Father Mountain's spirit… You must retrieve your feather, so that no one else has to suffer like… like this."

"But—"

"You must! Little One, there is no hope for my life—I have been pierced too thoroughly. Please, focus on the main objective—"

Sakura's eyes glowed with passion. "No! I—I can't let you die! I'll save you… I'll save you, somehow… And I will get the feather."

Syaoran, after deflecting yet another crystal, turned toward them. "No, Sakura, please, it is my job—"

"They are my feathers! And Kilala is my friend… I will do this, Syaoran." Her eyes glistened with unshed tears.

Syaoran's eyes reflected his confusion and concern for the princess. He could not allow her to do this. He reached toward her, but she gazed back at him with such guilt, such pain in her pleading eyes that he was taken aback. He closed his eyes in submission and self-anger for a moment, then opened them to find that Sakura's aura glowed a bright pink with her determination.

The princess removed her cloak, leaving her arms and neck dangerously exposed, then rolled up the garment into a small but fluffy pillow. After putting the pillow on the ground, Sakura gently lay Kilala down flat with the elf's head resting on it, being careful not to disturb her wound. Then, the girl put her hands on Kilala's shoulders, so firmly that the elf winced in surprise and the slightest bit of pain.

After a deep breath, Sakura hissed in preparation. Her voice a mere whisper, the princess said, "Please bear with it. Just—just a moment longer."

The girl could not help but tighten her grip on the elf's shoulders as she searched for it—searched for the fire. She felt it somewhere deep inside, but it was far too far away. Like this, she could not reach it. She could not activate the fire unless the wound was on her own body—how ironic that she was actually seeking out the fire now. Sakura closed her eyes tightly, and focused on the body beneath her hands. Perhaps, if she could reach far enough… With her mind, the girl tentatively reached out a tendril of her aura to touch Kilala. Sakura could feel the heat of the wound, and grabbed it eagerly.

Kilala watched on in fascination—and with slight discomfort, as Little One's grip was quite strong—as Sakura's aura crept toward her own body. Then, with startling speed, her wound was gone. The hole in her body—gone. The blood seeping out of her body—no more. The pain—gloriously, gloriously disappeared. Kilala sat up immediately in shock only to find that Sakura's middle now leaked a crimson in such steep contrast to the white of her skin and clothing that it was almost startlingly beautiful. The elf's eyes widened before she caught on to what had just occurred, but Kilala could not act before Sakura made her next move.

Oh, the fire… the fire, it was there. It was there, waiting, waiting to fall upon her. Sakura, panting, almost vomited with the pain and revulsion of having a hole in her body. But she had a theory—and she had a job to do. Ignoring Syaoran's desperate cry for her to cease, the girl pulled out her bow and an arrow, stood, and took aim at the giant pillar at the center of the cavern. Distantly, Sakura could hear the Father Mountain's voice calling out in surprise, but she pushed all thought from her mind; distantly, she felt the sting as several crystals cut her arms to shreds; distantly, she felt the strain on her body. She focused on the agony and struggled not to double over with it; she struggled to keep her body upright and her bow poised to release; she struggled to find the fire within her. After only a moment, the princess located the fire and desperately made a conscious grab for it, though she was certain she would not be able to bear the pain.

The moment the flames engulfed her body, Sakura fired her arrow. However, the arrow she loosed had an aura about it—an aura of bright gold, of sheer, blinding light. Her eyes closed before Sakura could witness the impact of the arrow to the pillar.

When the pillar was struck, it exploded in a myriad of diamond shards and dust and light—the party had to shield their eyes for fear of being blinded. The Father Mountain cried out briefly once more, but the moment the feather—still, thankfully, intact—escaped the confines of its prison, the gloomy, ominous atmosphere of the cavern faded. The crystals ceased to fire from the walls.

And the feather floated gently, serenely, in midair, as if the breaking of the pillar did not affect it. It exuded silver sparkles and a slight feeling of yearning.

A moment later, the sound of a bow clanging to the ground echoed throughout the room.

Just before the girl hit the floor, Syaoran caught her. Her blood… there was so much blood. There was a hole, a hole in her body. In a panic, he called her name. "S-Sakura! What's wrong? What's wrong with you? Oh, Kami… What…" He closed his eyes tight for a moment to stave off the tears, clutching her body closer to his own. "Oh, Sakura… Sakura!" He continued to call her name as his companions sat back in shock. The boy fell to his knees, still holding the girl. He was holding her too tightly, he knew, but he was clinging to her life—his life. He felt her heart against his own, and was so terrified by the fact that it was beating far too quickly. Her body was so hot…

Dimly, in another dimension so far from where she was, she heard—or thought she heard—_something_. What was it? She tried to reach toward it through the haze of fire still engulfing her. In that dimension, the girl felt something pressed against her. Her mind registered that it was pleasantly—lovingly—cool compared to the fire that took her now, however she also registered that she was being almost crushed. Blind, deaf, and damn near unable to even feel, the girl attempted to stumble back to that dimension, to that world where she knew that something… something that was very important to her, awaited her. But there was also another coolness in an opposite direction, that promised calm and peace.

Kilala made a grab for the feather, quickly, before it could float away, and knelt before Syaoran. "Here is Little One's feather. Maybe—maybe it will help." When Syaoran turned his face up to look at her, Kilala turned her own face away. As much as Sakura seemed to be in pain, the look on Syaoran's face tore her apart. The boy was torn apart with grief and fear and agony—his usually steady amber eyes were frantic. "H-Here," the elf whispered, and gently, almost reverently, placed the feather upon Sakura's blood-soaked, throbbing chest.

The feather slammed Sakura back to this world—the world with her beloved, the world with her companions. The world where it hurt so bad. Her eyes snapped open through the red of the flames. She sat up too quickly for Syaoran to react; she sat straight up, her back arched, her hands pulled up and clenched into fists. Her eyes stared, terrified, into nothing. A scream tore through her lungs, her vocal cords, her mouth as her body was split open.

She was now doubled over, clutching her arms in agony, staring sightless into her world of pain. She had writhed out of his arms and now sat on her knees. Her body was quaking so viciously he was afraid she would break in half. Syaoran gasped as he saw two nubs sticking up from his princess' back. In his panicked state as he was, it took several moments for him to realize that whatever those nubs were, they were trying to escape the confines of her moon cloth clothing. With trembling hands, Syaoran undid the laces of her dress for the third time in twenty-four hours.

Two _things_ protruded from between Sakura's shoulder blades. They were flesh-colored, but slowly became whiter as seconds ticked. Sakura continued to feel the screams rip through her, accompanied by sobs of agony. Saliva dripped from her mouth and tears dripped from her eyes and blood dripped both from the hole in her stomach and from the two nubs splitting the skin of her back.

Her body was shattering. She knew it. She had reached her limit—she could not take this anymore. With one more sob, she felt her heart begin to slow, to die.

Syaoran cried out, in as much emotional pain as Sakura was in physical pain. "Sakura! Sakura, no! No!" he shouted. He clutched her closer, bending over her body in an unconscious effort to protect her from the pain she was experiencing. Then, the unthinkable occurred. Her heart was slowing, stuttering. His eyes widened, and the tears began to flow. He screamed her name. "Sakura, no! No, please don't! Please don't! I—I promised you… I promised you, so… So you have to promise me, too! You can't… You can't leave me… Please don't leave me, Sakura, please! I'm begging you. I'm begging you…" Sobs interrupted his speech repeatedly, but he struggled on, clutching her body closer as the nubs grew and her heart slowed.

Syaoran raised his voice to cover her screams and pressed her against him. Perhaps they could share his heartbeat—he wished desperately for that to be true. "Sakura! Please, don't leave me like this! I couldn't… I can't live without you!" Her screams quieted mysteriously, as did her heartbeat. Syaoran's eyes widened in terror, and he gripped her body desperately. "Without your smile, without your laugh… Your eyes, your kindness… I cannot live without them, Sakura. So, please…" his voice faltered. Her heartbeat had ceased.

"Please don't leave me…" He sucked in a deep breath of agony, the air burning his lungs. "I… I love you, Sakura… I love you..."

As if in response to this, the heartbeat started back up once more, feeble and weak.

And the nubs grew…

Into wings.

**A/N: Ah, I get too excited writing this—I'm shaking now. The next chapter will be much easier for me to write quickly; it will focus on Sakura and Syaoran more than this chapter does. Well, how could it not, with Syaoran's confession? **

**Ah, I'm getting too excited again. **

**Reviews are greatly appreciated: comments, questions, concerns! :) **


	7. Chapter 7: Touch

**A/N: And here is Chapter 7!**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Tsubasa Chronicle. **

**I know, I got this up quick, right? Well, that's because of Reese's Pieces and Sprite and confidence! :D**

**Knock Out the Jackalope: Thank you for reviewing! :D Yes; I noticed that it's usually Syaoran being subjected to pain and fighting in most fanfics, as well. To me, the fighting part makes a lot of sense—Syaoran is, of course, strong and skilled with a sword and his body, therefore he should be the one for combat (besides, who can resist the mental image of Syaoran going up against an adversary?). But because of Sakura's desire to help do her part, she also needs to be able to "fight"—hence, the bow and arrows. While Sakura does not become physically strong in this fanfic and while she will not engage in hand-to-hand combat, I feel that she needs Something so that she won't be a complete damsel in distress. She is, after all, a living human being with wants and needs and aspirations—and, at in this fanfic, one of those aspirations is to aid her companions in every way possible.**

**Also, Sakura's situation got me to thinking: If all this stuff is happening to her, how can it be that there are no "side effects", if you will, for her condition other than being sleepy most of the time? I thought to myself, "Her memories got ripped out of her and the only thing she feels is sleepy?" So, while the amount of Physical pain being subjected on her is a variable, I felt that she should be experiencing much more… um… spiritual? mental? pain. Additionally, I felt that, for Sakura and Syaoran to truly be partners, then Sakura had better start pulling her own darn weight and really start to try to become stronger. And because of the aspects of her situation with having her memories taken, I believed that Sakura having a spiritual "power", if you will, would be most befitting to her. **

**Also, I'm not quite quite sure what you meant by "the feather issue". :) The group still has to find more feathers, but— WAIT! No! I can't tell you yet! **

**Astrid01: Thank you for the review! :D I'm so glad that it had such an impact on you… To know the reactions of the reader, especially when they are so profound, makes me extremely happy (and gives me a confidence boost as well). I will continue to do my best! **

**I realize that the last chapter mostly had just doing, acting, and happening. Most of those things will be explained in this chapter. :) **

**Chapter 7: Touch**

They were wet—like a newborn's.

They were white—like a swan's.

They were small—like a gosling's.

They were beautiful—like Sakura.

Syaoran's heart stopped beating for a full second before springing, erratically, back to life. He stared at the two things—those two things that seemed suddenly so foreign to him. It was as if he had never seen any before. And in a way, he had not. At least, not like this. He buried his face into the back of her neck and tried to stop from shaking.

Sakura crouched panting on the floor, tears still streaming down. Her new appendages fluttered restlessly, confusedly, as if they had just been born; and in a way, they had. The fire that had swallowed her a moment before now was gone, and the girl widened her eyes in recognition that the fire had completely healed and sealed all her wounds—including the wound she had taken from Kilala. She was thankfully, blissfully, without pain, other than a dull ache in her head and betwixt her shoulder blades. Even more thankfully, she felt Syaoran's body over her own, blanketing her, yet putting no weight on her. His warm, strong body touched hers in a delightfully protective, almost possessive way; his face was pressed into the back of her neck. His breath tickled.

With a voice weak from pain and screaming, Sakura gently laughed. "Syaoran…" she breathed.

Syaoran gasped and sat straight up, staring at her for a moment. Tears glistened in his steady, warm, deep amber pools. Sakura wobbled a bit, and he took her body—being careful of her back—and set it gently in his lap. The girl gratefully rested her head on his strong chest. Syaoran let out a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding. "Y-yes, Sakura?"

The princess was already asleep.

Syaoran smiled as he gazed at her, then wiped his tears away. She was all right. She was really all right. He looked up to his companions.

All four stared speechlessly at him and the princess.

"Is… is Sakura-chan okay?" Mokona quietly asked. "She's got…"

"I know," Syaoran replied, nodding. "I think she's all right, but she's exhausted. How she was saved only Kami knows."

Kilala's hand rested on her abdomen, where the blood was slowly drying. "Little One is far more powerful than I had originally expected." Turning around, the elf addressed the giant wall on the opposite end of the cavern. "Father Mountain, have you returned to your senses?"

The wall rumbled blue. "Yes, daughter of the forest. I thank you all for cleansing me of the feather's corruption. I have called my children back to me. I have apologized to them. And now… I will apologize to you, though I am certain that you are unable to forgive me for what I have done in my madness."

Syaoran's piercing eyes confirmed the Father Mountain's statement.

"However, I will offer you something in return for the restoration of my sanity." Out of the wall came a small, clear ball made of impeccable crystal. The offering floated gracefully to Syaoran, who only glared at it suspiciously. Kilala finally was forced to take the ball into her own hands. "I have an understanding that you are traveling the worlds in search of the princess' feathers. This sphere I am giving to you will allow you to freely return to this world, to this place, whenever you wish to, even if you are on the opposite end of the universe. I pray that—though this world has injured you and grieved you—you will come to recognize it as a safe home, a resting place for you, always welcome to you whenever you are weary."

Mokona's eyes widened. "Where did you get that?" the tiny thing demanded. "I thought the last one had been destroyed long ago!"

The Father Mountain rumbled in a chuckle. "Let us just say that I bargained for it."

The group's eyes collectively widened. "But… how much did something like this cost?" Fai asked, intensely curious.

The light in the cavern slightly dimmed. "I have lost the ability to move."

Kilala gasped and nearly dropped the sphere. Luckily, Kurogane snatched it out of her hands before that could happen. "You are unable to move? But… Father Mountain, you must be able to move! Are you truly to forever be stuck in this one place, for all time? Always?"

"Dear child, you have forgotten that I was once stationary, although that time was so long ago… I have merely reverted back to my original state."

"And what about Sakura?" demanded Syaoran. "What did you do to her?"

"I apologize for her wounds, Protector. However, at the time, it was an unavoidable occurrence," the Father Mountain replied. "Besides, through her powers, the wounds on her have healed, have they not?"

The boy scoffed. "That isn't what I was talking about. I was talking about… about these!" Syaoran pointed to the tiny appendages protruding from Sakura's back, fixing his fiery eyes on the Father Mountain's wall.

"Ah… Perhaps I can answer that question," provided Fai. Syaoran reluctantly tore his gaze from the wall of the cavern to look at his companion. "We have all witnessed Sakura's aura in this world, yes?"

Syaoran, Kurogane, and Mokona all nodded. "Yes, and the aura started when we got to this world," Mokona supplied.

"Actually, no. The aura appeared not when we came to this world, but when the _feather_ _was returned to Sakura_. I believe that Sakura has in her possession special abilities, four of which we have witnessed. 1, that she has an aura that displays her emotions. 2, that, if she goes through pain, she can heal her injuries. 3, that she can steal another person's injuries, put them on herself, and then heal them. And 4, that she is able to manifest her aura, her power, into an arrow and shoot it in order to make the target explode. From what I hear of her archery training, I am almost convinced that her innate proficiency with the bow and arrow is a power unto itself." The magician paused to let this sink in. Syaoran's eyes were wide.

Then, Fai continued, "Now, why is this happening? Because the, erm, power seemed to… to escalate—" here he gestured toward the two appendages on Sakura's back "—when the feather was returned to her, I believe that the feathers are a direct link to Sakura's abilities. It is my hypothesis that, if we continue to retrieve her feathers, then her powers will increase until…"

"Until what?" Kurogane asked.

Fai's smile turned a bit apologetic. "I'm sorry. I haven't quite gotten that far."

'Damn magician,' Kurogane thought.

Syaoran sighed softly and returned his gaze to the princess. "Well… Until we can figure this out… Sakura needs to get somewhere more comfortable to sleep."

Mokona hopped over toward him. "Nuh-uh, you just want Sakura-chan all to yourself!"

Syaoran's face reddened. "What? I—No, I don—"

Mokona smiled widely. "Yes, you do! 'Cause you said you loooove her. L-O-V-E."

The boy's cheeks burned brighter and his grip on the princess tightened slightly in his embarrassment. He ducked his face to conceal his blush. "H-Hey! I-I…" Then, his face sobered. "It isn't as if she… returns my feelings."

Mokona blinked, taken a bit aback by Syaoran's sudden change in mood. However, Kilala approached the Father Mountain before the subject could be discussed further.

"Father Mountain, we will be taking our leave now. We must inform the Tree Mother of the new developments," the elf announced, bowing to the cavern wall.

The wall in turn glowed a light blue. "You are dismissed. And I thank you once again for restoring my sanity."

Kilala nodded toward the Father Mountain, then turned to her companions once more. "Let us go. The spirits are waiting for us." With that, Kilala began to walk to the doorway, making sure to pick up Sakura's bow before exiting. Mokona hopped into Fai's arms as he and Kurogane made their way out as well.

Syaoran waited a moment to compose himself before taking the princess in his arms—being careful of her new appendages—and standing. He allowed himself a brief, indulgent glance at her sleeping face before following after his companions. He wondered what Sakura was dreaming of. _'A memory, most likely,'_ he thought, smiling as he continued on. With a quick glance down to Sakura's face, he was certain of it: she was smiling.

But then he stopped dead in his tracks.

"Syao…ran…" the princess whispered. She snuggled closer to his warmth, reaching up a small, still bloodstained hand to grip his shirt. When she moved, her small appendages fluttered, brushing Syaoran's hand ever so slightly, like a feather. The boy realized with a slight chuckle that they were feathers.

Almost tentatively, he asked, "Yes, Sakura?"

"I want…" her voice faded out. She squirmed once more, a slightly flustered—yet cute as hell, Syaoran thought—look on her face.

"What is it, my princess?" he quietly asked, smiling at her. He trailed a bit more behind his companions.

"I want to have… have courage…"

"For what, Sakura?" he asked, a bit bemused.

She squirmed again. "To say…"

"Say what?" the bot urged.

Sakura's appendages fluttered once, and then the girl grew still, deep in slumber once more. Syaoran sighed, then caught himself. What had he been hoping for? Shaking his head, he trotted a bit—making sure not to jostle the princess—to catch up to everyone. They had reached the entrance to the mountain, and the forest spirits waited for them, as Kilala had said. The group mounted their respective spirits, and set off back toward the Tree Mother.

They had taken her in order to clean her up and wash her moon cloth clothing, and Syaoran, albeit reluctantly, had allowed them to and left in order to clean up as well.

Now he was laying back in a tree house—a smaller, plainer one than he and Sakura had stayed in before, but at least it had a soft bed—wearing freshly washed moon cloth. He had excused himself to this room after bathing on the premise that he would rest; but for some reason, he could not sleep.

The boy glanced at the clock: It had been two hours since his party's return to the forest. Two hours since he had seen, had touched, Sakura. His fingers twitched with the need to feel her soft skin under them again; his eyes longed to gaze into her own gorgeous pools; his heart throbbed to beat against her body. His face flushed as he thought about it. _'I should be ashamed for having such thoughts,_' he chastised himself. However, he could not help but think about it; he loved her.

And she did not love him in return; he was almost certain of it. _'So I shouldn't even have been expecting to see her so soon… Kami, and I even… I even confessed to her. She would probably feel awkward around me… Wait, did she even hear me? She was in such pain at the time… Oh, Kami, I'm so stupid!' _He rolled to his side facing the wall and clutched his head. _'How could I even say something like that to her?' _

"Agh, I'm such an idiot!" he said, quite loudly, to no one in particular.

Just then, he heard the slight tap of footsteps. A small, shy, almost hesitant knock at the door made him sit up stock straight. "Um, S-Syaoran? Are you all right?"

It was Sakura. Of course it was.

'_Think of an angel and she shall appear,'_ he guessed. He stood and went to the door, then opened it. "Y-Yes, Sakura-hime?" he said a bit gruffly, reverting back to his formal speech.

She bit her lip and turned her head away. "Sa-ku-ra. Please…?" the girl said with a small, shy glance in his direction that brought a blush to his face.

"Y-Yes, Sakura. I'm sorry. I just thought that… that maybe you would be…" his voice trailed off and he looked down. "A-anyway, please come in."

She did so, and it was only then that Syaoran realized that she was clutching her cloak around herself. Her aura was a heavy, saddened purple. The girl tentatively moved toward the bed and sat upon it.

"Can I take your cloak, Sakura?" the boy asked, concerned.

She shook her head, her face downcast. "No, I… I want to keep it."

Silence reigned for several moments before Syaoran sat beside her. "What's wrong, my princess?"

"I… I'm not human."

Syaoran blinked in surprise. "Of course you're hu—"

"I'm not!" Sakura almost yelled. Her voice broke. Syaoran's eyes widened as he realized she was crying. "I'm not human… Just look at me. Kilala told me what Fai had explained earlier. I'm stuck like this. I glow. I burn. I steal injuries. And... and I have these—these _things_!" She avoided the word pointedly, then broke down into sobs.

Syaoran listened to her solemnly, sadly. Then, he decided.

Gently, with a reverence, Syaoran took off Sakura's cloak to stare at her back. When she feebly resisted, he stopped her by gazing into her teary emerald pools, his own amber eyes steady, caring, smoldering. He tossed her cloak off to the side and put a hand on her shoulder softly. Her dress had been fitted to accommodate her appendages—how, Syaoran had no idea, but he was glad that the elves had done so.

They were beautiful—gorgeous was more befitting. They were small; certainly, these things could not be used for flight. Each one was approximately two feet in length if it was to be fully extended, Syaoran guessed. They came out of her back in smooth transitions that were completely natural—it was hard to believe that they had caused her such pain in emerging. Gentle white feathers smoothed their ways down, coating each appendage in a down of white. The two things had an ethereal, spiritual look about them, one that Syaoran was enchanted with.

Sakura was worried and embarrassed—though her tears had faded a bit. She felt so exposed before his steady gaze…

The boy stared at them for a long while, taking in everything about them he could with his eyes before he spoke. "Sakura… do you remember what I said to you just before you grew these?"

Sakura gasped and turned to look at him. His eyes were soft, gentle, soothing her. "Y-you mean… I didn't imagine it? You actually… you actually said that…"

"I love you, Sakura."

Her eyes widened. She could not speak for the knot that rose in her throat and the tears that fell from her eyes. She was so happy. But it ended all too soon as she realized that he could not possibly love her. "But, I'm not human… I'm a-a bird freak. A harpy. I-I'm—"

Though he had interrupted her firmly, his voice was soft. "You are kind, and sweet, and gentle, and caring. Your smile is so warm I melt into it; your eyes, I can drown in. And, although I'm fairly certain you are a human, even if you weren't, that would not change the way I feel about you, Sakura. To me, you are Sakura and Sakura only. And I love you. I'm sorry if that makes you uncomfortable…. But I can't help it. I just love you. I love you so much that it hurts." He said the last bit so simply, so tenderly, that tears once again rose to her eyes.

She struggled to speak through the flood of emotion within her. "Oh, Syaoran, I—I love you. I love you, too. I love you, Syaoran." The words were foreign on her lips, but they felt so right, so true, that she didn't mind. She said them once more, then blushed at herself.

He smiled at her warmly, serenely. His heart was breaking with the expression on her face and the happiness that plunged through him. He could have died right then and he would not have minded. He leaned forward to touch her forehead with his own, and she tentatively obliged, blushing harder. His smile turned mischievous. "You are so beautiful, my princess."

Her face got redder, and he chuckled. She seemed to be considering something. "What is it, love?" It seemed so natural to call her that that he did not notice until her cheeks started to metaphorically burn.

"So… you really don't mind if I… if I have these… things on me?"

His smiled widened. "Your _wings_ are gorgeous, Sakura. Just like the rest of you." He paused to let this sink in and watched on with delight as her heartbeat got loud. "Can I… touch them?"

Sakura's mouth was agape for two seconds before she bit her lip and nodded, trying to look away. He touched her cheek gently with one hand and brought her gaze back to his own. His hand moved back once he was certain that she would not look away. Syaoran removed his gloves.

His eyes held her captive for five seconds before she felt pressure on one wing. She gasped quietly at the feeling, only to realize that he had sucked in a breath rather quickly as well. His face melted into a smile. He rubbed her wings gently, one caressed by each hand, and Sakura was all too shocked to discover that she was purring.

He chuckled. "They're so soft… and warm…" He stared at her for a moment, then tore his gaze away from her to bend forward. Sakura was confused for a moment, and almost made a move to stop him, but then, all of a sudden, she could not move.

He had placed a soft kiss on her wing. He felt her shiver under his hands, heard her breathing erratically.

When he came back up, she was so beautiful that he could tell he was losing it. Her face was angelic, blushing, her lips ever so slightly parted to allow faint gasps to escape. Her aura shined and sparkled a gentle pink, matching the color of her lips. Oh, her lips… so perfect. He would not be able to control himself much longer.

"S-Sakura…" he whispered.

She shyly inched toward him until her body was brushing his own. Her heart was throbbing against her chest almost painfully; it was singing with happiness. The air between them was tangible. "Syaoran…"

The boy and the girl leaned in until their lips met in a burst of electricity, warmth, and, above all things, love.

Her lips tasted sweet, like the essence of fruit and flower; they were soft, softer than clouds, softer than air, softer than even Sakura's hair. They moved against his own tentatively, easily responding to his advances, but too shy and content to make advances of their own. Her mouth conformed to his perfectly; they moved in quiet synchronization. The kiss started out slowly, explorative. This was new territory for the both of them, and they were inundated with the feelings coursing through them. Gently, Syaoran took her hand in his own, twining their fingers together, taking extra care to be gentle with her. With his free hand, he reached up to caress her cheek.

She was shivering, every nerve ending on high alert for his touch. Her breath was shaky as well, until she became so engrossed in the kiss that she forgot altogether how to breathe. All she could think about was the glory of his lips on hers, moving with hers, his tongue eventually asking for entrance into her sweet mouth. She graciously allowed, moving closer to him. With her free hand, Sakura tangled her fingers into the mess of chocolate silk on his head. She purred unknowingly.

He broke the kiss when he realized that Sakura had not breathed for quite some time. His princess gasped heavily for air for several seconds, her lips parted ever so slightly, as he gazed into her half-lidded eyes. Did she know she was driving him crazy? He released her hand only to wrap his strong arms around her body, pulling her closer to him. She responded by shyly, tentatively, crawling into his lap.

He blinked, swallowing hard. She was so close that he could feel the wondrous, soft warmth emanating from her body. He kissed her lips once more, then her cheek, then moved down to her neck. He nearly all but devoured her skin in his need to taste her, to kiss her. She gasped and arched into him, blushing ever harder—purring ever louder as well. He smiled at this development, but did not cease his onslaught on her throat.

"S-Syaoran!" she gasped. "Please…"

Needing no further encouragement, Syaoran brought his lips back to hers and clutched her closer to his body. He was holding her too tight again, but she did not mind. In fact, after a moment's self-conscious shyness, she pressed herself into him. She was pleased to find that their bodies molded together perfectly, and shivered in delight. Her wings fluttered.

Gasping, the boy moved his hands to her sides and gripped her middle, his hands shaking in his attempt to maintain his self-control. The kiss became more urgent—their tongues danced with one another, exploring, seeking, tasting. Sakura's wings quivered with the intensity of the feeling and she pressed ever closer to him, rubbing her body against his own in ways she hadn't known possible until she felt the urge to do so. She forgot to breathe and had to pull away for a moment to catch her breath.

With a soft growl, Syaoran immediately moved his lips to her throat, clutching her body in his hands desperately. "Oh, Sakura," he murmured huskily as he moved further down, kissing her collar bone.

Her heart could not settle on a steady beat. Her body was a sieve of heat and desire; her mind was a fog of love and lust. She whimper in pleasure from his attentions and found her hands taking tenacious holds of his shirt, pulling herself closer, desperate to give more of herself to him. This feeling, this love, felt so good it hurt, and she felt her eyes filling with tears. She could not take all this emotion quite yet.

Syaoran immediately sat up to stare at her, trying to quell his hunger for her. "S-Sakura? What's wrong?" His voice was still slightly husky from his need for her, but he tried—mostly in vain—to soften it. His amber eyes smoldered at her.

She shook her head, smiling through her tears. "Kiss me… Slower," Sakura said quietly, and her voice was so full of love and kindness that he could not help but oblige.

His gaze softened and he kissed her again, this time tenderly; he allowed pauses and slight spaces between their lips to appear after each gentle touch. His grip on her loosened slightly, enough so that he could trace her body with feather-light caresses. He relished the way her body shivered and moved under his hands, the way she occasionally opened her eyes to stare at him with jade pools filled with tiny tears. And though those pools reflected her almost innocent vulnerability, her untarnished love for him, her willingness to give herself away to him, he did not look away.

For she had entrusted these feelings to him. She had shown him her private feelings, given them to him, and trusted him to keep those feelings safe and nourished. He would not disappoint her. Syaoran took each emotion she showed him and stowed it away in a secret part of him, deep inside, then responded in kind to her with his own steady, warm, utterly sincere amber eyes. His heart was fit to burst with all the love he felt, with all the love she gave him.

"Princess…" he murmured quietly after approximately fifteen minutes.

She put her mouth against his own one last time, her lips softer than rose petals, more gentle than air. Sakura kept her lips there for one moment longer before pulling away somewhat regretfully. "Yes…?" she responded, her voice soft and dreamy with her happiness and exhaustion.

"Would you like to take a nap with me before dinner?" he asked, smiling, kissing her forehead before settling his gaze on her own.

She pressed herself closer to him for a moment before nodding sleepily. "Mm-hmm…"

He chuckled a bit with her cuteness. "All right, then." Syaoran, with as much care as he could possibly muster, took her in his arms and lay her down on the bed before going down to remove her small shoes. He placed them neatly on the floor beside his bed_—'Our bed,'_ he thought proudly—and then removed his own boots. He lay beside her and wrapped his arms around her, being careful of her wings. "Are you comfortable?"

Looking at him, the girl shook her head. Upon his bemused expression, Sakura wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled herself closer, until their bodies were pressed against one another, relaxed. "Now, I'm comfortable." She brushed her lips against his own slightly, then closed her eyes.

Syaoran smiled and returned the favor, then gently began to stroke her wings. She shivered in pleasure, and he chuckled, perhaps a bit smugly, when she began to purr. "I will see you when you wake, my Sakura…" he murmured.

"I'm glad," she replied, her eyes still blissfully closed. "I love you, Syaoran…"

He watched her as her breathing began to regulate and her heartbeat decided to calm. Just before she drifted off, almost like a farewell gift meant to speed her along to sweet dreams, he whispered to her, "I love you, too, my princess…"

**A/N: And there was Chapter 7! :D**

**Did you like it? I know, they finally got together! That was my first time writing a kissing scene… How did I do?**


	8. Chapter 8: Ice Cream and Farewell

**A/N: And here is Chapter 8! It was a bit hard to get this going, but I hope you like it! I am SO SORRY for the delay.. I feel awful. A failure as a writer! DX …. Just kidding….. :)**

**DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Tsubasa Chronicle.**

**Astrid01: Thank you for reviewing! And thank you SO MUCH for the compliment! :) It means a lot to me, and I hope this continues to deserve such praise! **

**Aisha22: Hehe, thank you! :D Yes; I tried to keep them in character as much as possible while expanding on the extent of their emotions—especially kindness and compassion, particularly in Syaoran—and stress that they are teenagers, and, despite their unusual circumstances, they are not as… um… hardened? as adults might be in their situation. **

**Tujing: Thank you! :) Hehe, I'm glad you liked it! **

**Warning: If you are a crazy SyaoSaku fan (as I am) then you may want to prepare yourself. Extreme happiness (mostly sappiness) will ensue. Make sure you have a pillow to squeal into. (I know I needed one writing this. :D ) **

**Oh, and perhaps I should make this clear: **

"**Speech" **

'_**Thought'**_

_**Special instance**_

_SCARY BEINGS_ (will be in bold)

**Chapter Eight: Ice Cream and Farewell**

Syaoran watched as his princess slept, patiently waiting for dinner and content to observe her resting form. Absently, his fingers traced her wings ever so gently; he chuckled when they twitched in response to his attentions. They were so cute. She was so cute.

The girl was curled up into his body, her left hand taking a hold of his shirt while her right hand rested just beside her lips, which were parted slightly to allow small, sleeping breaths through. The shoulder of her dress had slipped a bit, revealing a fair amount of creamy white skin, but he had pulled the blanket over her—in part out of respect for her, and in part out of fear of what he would do if her skin remained uncovered. Her legs had tangled comfortably with his to allow for closer contact. She shivered a little, then pressed further into him, burying her face in his shoulder.

Syaoran chuckled once more. Was she mooching off his body warmth in her sleep? In a soft voice, tender and quiet so as not to wake her, he whispered, "Well, that's fine, my Hime…" He hesitated before saying more. Just to make sure, he waited a moment to see if she had awakened. Satisfied she had not, he tested the words in his mouth, then said them quietly, bending his head forward and breathing them into her ear. "Because… Because I will be here for you forever, to do with what you will, to provide what you need. I will be your blanket, your pillow, your bed, your home. I will be your slave, your servant, your protector, your friend, your family…" his already soft voice dropped even lower, "your lover, your husband... I will be whatever you need me to be. I will never leave you." He was shocked with the intensity of his conviction.

A small smile spread across her faintly blushing face, and emerald gems appeared under long, thick eyelashes. Her heart swelled and threatened to block her breath. "You are already my everything..." she whispered back to him, her lips brushing his.

Syaoran's face went up in smoke and he sat up. She had been feigning sleep! "S-S-Sakura! I-I thought you were a-a-a-asleep!" He hid his face in his hands out of embarrassment. She was not supposed to have heard that!

Sakura moved so that she sat on her knees in front of him, her dress still off her shoulders, shivering a bit at the loss of his closeness. She took his hands and moved toward him, then pointedly wrapped his arms around her so that his fingers brushed her wings. She shivered in pleasure at the contact, like a kitten, and he managed to decipher the way her breath caught. Syaoran's eyes widened a bit in realization; he almost grinned at his discovery. Her wings were erogenous. "It, um, tickled… a little," she lied, blushing and shyly kissing his cheek.

"Anyway," she continued, her voice still low, "if you are going to be all that to me… Then…" Her eyes went downcast.

"Then what, my Hime?" he asked.

Her emerald eyes, wide and clear with her love, flicked up to look at him as her face remained slightly downcast. "At least… let me be your strength." Her face flushed and she looked back down.

Syaoran called her name softly and stroked her wings, feeling his blush and embarrassment fade with each passing second. The boy put his fingers under her chin in order to make her look at him. Staring into her clear, liquid eyes, he felt his heart swell. He would do anything for this girl. "You _are_ my strength, Hime. You are my strength, and my determination, and my comfort, and, most importantly, my love. You are everything to me." He suddenly smiled at her and pulled her into his lap, much to her surprise, and kissed her with such tenderness that it broke her heart.

As if to comfort her heart, Syaoran slipped his hand from behind her and placed it on her chest, just above it. He could feel her pulse, so full, so vital, so beautiful that he kept his hand there for the duration of their kiss, and even afterward as he rested his forehead against her own. Amber pools flowed into jade ones for a long moment, gentle pants from strained lungs mixed and merged, before the two teenagers were almost comically interrupted by another organ entirely.

Sakura blushed to no end as her stomach demanded attention—_**NOW**_. Syaoran chuckled in response, then bent down to swiftly place a kiss on her stomach; this increased the princess' blush by several degrees. "I wonder if it's dinnertime yet. Want to go see, my love?" he asked playfully, tickling her stomach a bit.

Taking a moment to giggle, the girl opened her mouth as if to say something. However, her stomach interrupted her_**. FEED ME NOW**_, it screamed. _**I WANT TO BE FED. UNDERSTAND?**_

Syaoran sat back and laughed exuberantly as Sakura covered her stomach with her hands and her face went up in smoke. "I-I-I-I," she stuttered.

"Let's go eat, my Hime," the boy said, still laughing. She was so cute when she was slightly embarrassed. He moved her hands and leaned forward to kiss her stomach once more—earning a small squeak from his princess—and then stood and grabbed her shoes and cloak from the floor of the tree house where he had previously discarded them.

Sakura scooted to the edge of the bed, sitting up to receive them, but he did not relinquish the items to her. Instead, he draped the cloak around her thin shoulders and then knelt. He took her right foot carefully and slipped her shoe on it, then did the same with the other. The princess blushed at his actions, her hand closing over her heart in an effort to calm it. She whispered his name softly, then smiled and leaned forward—he was still kneeling at her feet—and kissed the very center of his forehead. "Thank you," she said softly, her lips touching him still.

He nodded slowly and stood to gather his own things. Once he was equipped and ready, the princess walked to him. "Ready, my Hime?" he asked.

She nodded, smiling so dazzlingly that the boy had to pause a moment to stare at it before sweeping her into his arms. The closeness was comforting; the warmth was pleasing and happy. Syaoran took one moment to cover her lips in a chaste kiss, then left the tree house and began to climb down the tree, jumping deftly from swaying branch to swaying branch. When he reached the forest floor, he did not let his princess go—instead, he held her closer and walked more confidently. A firm, slim, determined smile was set on his face.

_SxS_

When the two reached the dinner clearing, it was just beginning to fill with elves. Fai, Kurogane, and Mokona were already there, standing in the shade of a tall oak tree. Syaoran sprinted toward them, careful not to jostle the slightly-blushing Sakura still in his arms. He finally set the girl down beside him when he reached their companions.

"Are you alright now, Sakura-chan?" Fai asked, his thin smile ever present.

The princess nodded, blushing a bit harder. She was about to speak when Mokona hopped up in front of her face and settled on her shoulder. "Come on, Sakura! Let us see them! Pleeeeaaaaasssse?" the small being whined.

"I-I—but… Um… Well, okay," Sakura finally settled. She removed the cloak from around her shoulders and folded it into her arms. It was too warm for a cloak anyway—or was it just her embarrassment? Her face felt so hot; she put her hands to her cheeks to try and cool them down.

Her companions—including Syaoran, though he had seen them before—paused with open mouths to stare at Sakura's wings. It took everyone a moment to regain composure before Mokona reached forward to touch one of them. Syaoran stiffened, his face becoming a bit red as he prepared to protect the princess from being touched in such a way, but stopped as he saw her reaction.

Sakura almost exploded in embarrassment. "N-No!" she cried, taking the small creature off her shoulder. She blushed fiercely at herself for acting in such a way—but how could she not? The girl cleared her throat. "P-please don't, um, t-touch them."

Syaoran almost chuckled at his princess, knowing the reason that she did not wish her wings to be touched.

"Why not, Sakura-chan?" the white jelly bean demanded, its voice slightly injured.

Sakura's aura tinged an embarrassed, self-conscious pink. "U-um, I… that is, it… Um… It just feels… uncomfortable, that's all. Sorry, Mokona."

"Oh, that's all right!" the creature replied.

The group looked up as Kilala approached them, Amayah in tow. The elf's bright eyes flickered to the princess' wings for a long, calculating moment before speaking. "I am glad that you and the Protector seem to be doing well, Little One. Dinner will be served shortly; perhaps we should take our seats?"

Syaoran nodded and began to walk forward toward the tables, but he paused a moment when he felt a small, delicate, cold hand tentatively take a hold of his thumb. He laughed on the inside as he cast a warm glance to his princess—she blushed in response and tightened her grip—before continuing.

When they were seated, Sakura attempted to release his thumb, but he stopped her by twining his fingers with her own. He glanced to the side to see her blushing profusely and staring intently into her lap, where her other hand clenched her dress. Her aura glowed an intense pink that corresponded perfectly to her blush. Her wings were fluttering, and it made him want to laugh. How could she be so darn cute?

The boy barely noticed the Tree Mother's opening statements in his musings, but he noticed with pleasure as the meal began that Sakura did not relinquish his hand to eat. She used only her free hand to pick fruit and vegetables from the branches, to dip soup into her wooden bowl, to raise her utensils up to her delicate pink mouth. Syaoran gave her hand a small squeeze before starting to eat as well. He had noticed how hungry he was until the smell of food pervaded his thoughts of Sakura and his own stomach began to grumble in protest. He reached for a hearty soup of potatoes and opted to put some perfectly cooked venison into it. Of course the food was delicious.

However, it was not until the dessert course that he truly began to appreciate sweets. Before this moment, he had not been much a fan of sugar or sweet things, but now… Now, he could not help but marvel at their power. How could such meager, mundane things have so much strength, so much influence? Sakura was eating strawberries and ice cream, and her aura had grown to brush his body softly. She seemed so happy, indulging in every bite, savoring the flavor, gracing him with a smile so content she soon blushed at herself for it. Her face beamed, even her eyes seemed to shine just a little bit more—though Syaoran would have sworn it was impossible before this—as she took a small bite of ice cream into her mouth.

Needless to say, Syaoran was mesmerized. He found himself staring mournfully into the depths of her empty bowl when she finished and sat back, daintily covering her full stomach with her free hand. "That was absolutely delicious," she murmured so quietly that only Syaoran could hear.

He had half a mind to offer her more, but decided against it. She looked so sated. He would tease her instead. "Oh, really now? Are you sure you liked it?" He leaned toward her, gazing at her slyly.

She returned his gaze with a bemused expression . "U-uh-huh," she replied, her voice small in her confusion. Her cheeks were still tinged with pink.

Syaoran grinned wolfishly at her and brought his hand to her face, gently caressing it. She unconsciously leaned into the contact before he abruptly switched the position of his hand. With a caring, tender yet calloused thumb, he wiped a pink cream mixture from the corner of her mouth. "Then may I taste?" he asked, raising his thumb to his own mouth.

Her cheeks went up in smoke, though her face was cast down. "I-I-I guess so," she squeaked. Her wings fluttered more intensely, brushing the back of her chair occasionally.

The boy took a small lick of the strange, powerful pink and white substance on the tip of his thumb. He decided that the taste was pleasant and fresh—he would most likely not be able to eat much of this sweet stuff, but… he also decided that if it were on Sakura's body, he would be able to eat as much as possible, and still have the desire for more. His face flushed as he thought of this.

Syaoran realized that his princess was awaiting a comment. After clearing his throat, he allowed, "It's alright."

The girl graced him with a small smile, but did not reply.

Kurogane spoke up from across the table. "Anyway, isn't it about time we get going? We've stayed here too long; we best move."

Syaoran became more sober. He nodded. "You're right, Kurogane-san. Are we all ready?" The group nodded, and Kilala spoke up.

"I will retrieve Little One's bow and arrow." And with that, the elf was gone in a blur of dark purple skin and hair.

When she returned, Sakura's bow and arrows in a sleeve of moon cloth, Syaoran and company were gathered at the base of the Tree Mother.

The Tree Mother began to speak when the weapon was given to Sakura. "It is time to bid you farewell. I thank you all for your efforts, and pray that you will return to this world someday. Our forests will forever be welcome to you."

Syaoran dipped his head at the Tree Mother as Sakura smiled, bowed, and murmured. "Thank you for accepting us into your home even though my feather has caused you so much despair."

The girl shivered as she felt a leaf brush her chin, urging her upright, and straightened. "Little One, your feathers are of the purest essence. And like anything that is innocent, the forces of the world will seek to pollute your feathers, to use them for selfish reasons, to abuse their power."

Sakura was confused. "But, my feather was what corrupted the Father Mountain."

A breeze rippled through her hair. "There is a force working against your feathers' benevolence. It is as black as pitch and taints all that it touches. Be wary of it; do not seek it, do not brush it, and above all, your must not allow it to defeat you."

Sakura nodded and whispered a word of thanks. Then, Kurogane spoke up. "Now, I think it's time we go."

"'Kay!" Mokona chirped up. The party stepped away from the Tree Mother, but Sakura turned to see Kilala. In one swift, smooth motion, the elf and the girl stepped forward to embrace one another briefly.

"Be safe, Little One, and succeed," Kilala urged. Then, the elf's eyes bored into Sakura's. "And… also, my sister and I wish to thank you."

"For what?" The princess was confused.

A smile twitched upon Kilala's face. "For saving my life at the expense of such pain."

Sakura quickly shook her head. "I know we haven't really known one another for long, but…" a blush colored her cheeks, "I would do it again, for you."

A dazzling, fanged grin spread appeared on the dark skin. "And I would do the same for you… my friend." She looked up from Sakura's face. "And now you must leave, for your Protector has become jealous, I believe." A bell-like chuckle sounded.

Sakura gave the elf one more hug before returning to her companions. She raised her hand to wave good-bye, and as she did, she felt Syaoran's hand encircle her own. Her skin tingled with electricity from his touch.

She was still waving when Mokona swallowed them up in a purple glob of trans-dimensional goop.

**A/N: Again, I am soooo sorry that I was so late in updating… and that this chapter was not as long as the others. I'll try to update soon! I promise! :)**

**Questions or Comments? :)**


	9. Chapter 9: Heat

**A/N: And here we are, Chapter 9! I'm trying to work on my fighting scenes… It's really difficult to make them interesting and still have style. But I tried! **

**Tujing: Thank you for reviewing! :D **

**Warning: Prepare yourselves for some "hot" action. Ha! I'm so punny. You'll get it soon. ;) **

**DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Tsubasa Chronicle. **

**Chapter 9: Heat**

The heat was unbearable. Blistering, burning, too bright. Five suns bore down unmercifully on the scorched, bare, sandy plain that reflected light. What plants managed to survive were dried out and shriveling in various shades of brown and yellow. The sky was a severe blue-white—unforgiving and blinding.

A dark-purple glob appeared approximately ten feet above the sand, in such contrast to the light of the atmosphere that it seemed to be a simple shadow or silhouette. That is, until it disintegrated to reveal a party of four humans and a white rabbit-like creature, all of whom promptly began to fall as a result of the glob's disappearance.

The girl had slipped out of her protector's arms in the descent and now landed on her right side. However, as soft as the ground was, she felt pain where she touched the sand. She exclaimed in surprise, and her aura flashed a bright red.

Syaoran had landed in a kneeling position as per usual, but his eyes widened at her cry, and he immediately went to scoop his princess up in his arms. "Sakura! Are you all right?"

Demurely, she nodded up at him, quickly taking her moon cloth cloak and covering herself with it. Her arm and shoulder still hurt.

"Shit!" was Kurogane's swift shout as he hit the sand squarely on his back. He sprung back up, deftly brushing the sand off his exposed skin. "Damn it," he cursed once more.

Fai, who had all of his body covered at the point of impact with the sand, turned his gaze to his companions bemusedly. "What is it?" He began to sweat under the glare of the sun.

Kurogane held up his forearm as an example; it was scorched an angry red color.

Syaoran's eyes widened and he looked to the girl he held in his arms. "Did you get hurt?" he asked urgently.

Flicking her eyes down in a moment of indecision, Sakura unhooked her cloak and brought down one side of it. The sand had been far less forgiving on Sakura's delicate flesh than it had been with Kurogane's tougher skin. Syaoran's eyes flashed quickly before he composed himself. "Maybe there's a salve to help with the burns?" he asked, turning to Mokona, who had been forgotten up until this point.

The party collectively blinked in surprise and confusion upon placing their gazes on the small white creature. Mokona was spinning around in a circle on the sand, hopping up and down, not minding at all the scorching nature of the ground. It was singing faintly and out of key. "Kuro-puppy, Kuro-puu, can't you see that I love you? Sa-ku-ra-chan, I love you. Mo-ko-na loves everyone!"

Kurogane's eyebrow twitched in annoyance. "Hey, white manju bun. Pay attention, the kid asked you a question."

Mokona stopped singing and looked at them all, stars shining in its wide eyes. For a moment, it was silent, but then started up another song. "Feathers, feathers, in the sand. Feathers, feathers, they're so grand. Feathers, feathers, in the air. Feathers, feathers, everywhere!" Its childish rhymes served only to further bemuse its companions.

"'Feathers everywhere'? What does that mean?" Syaoran asked, still quite anxious to tend to Sakura's burns.

"Well, I am sensing a fair amount of magical power in the air," Fai observed quietly.

"If feathers are really everywhere, then… maybe it means that Mokona-chan is… is having a feather-overload?" Sakura suggested. "But then, where are the feathers?"

As if on cue, a great gust of wind swept across the plains of sand, threatening a sand storm. Two of the princess' feathers were carried by it. Syaoran, though he loathed doing such a thing, placed Sakura gently upon the ground and sprang up into the air to grab both of the feathers. The sand in the current, heated by the sun and propelled by the wind, singed and scraped Syaoran's exposed flesh until he drew his cloak around himself to protect the feathers. The wind only grew stronger.

"Is there any place to seek shelter?" Syaoran had to shout as he made his way back to the princess.

Fai looked around, trying to shield his eyes from the sand. In the distance, he spotted a building of sorts. Silently, he pointed at it; he did not want to get the sand in his mouth any more than he wanted it in his eyes. Syaoran nodded and scooped his princess up, then wordlessly sprinted toward the building. Kurogane picked up Mokona and raced toward it as well, while Fai, looking a bit unwell, followed.

_SxS_

The building, light tan and as dry as its surroundings, was abandoned. Not empty, because of all of the sand and dirt that coated every surface, but abandoned nonetheless. It was a large warehouse filled with boxes and dark corners; but at least it protected Syaoran and his companions from the scorching sun and heat of the outside.

Fai quickly set to removing all clothing that he could while still remaining somewhat decent. With a tight smile, he murmured, "I apologize, Sakura-chan, but I'm afraid that I'm not quite used to such high temperatures, despite our months of traveling."

Said girl was sweating herself, but it did not seem to be from the outside heat. Additionally, she panted, her pale chest emitting faint gasps. Her eyes closed tightly, she mumbled back, "I understand, Fai-san. Please don't worry about it."

Syaoran sat beside her, a tub of salve and a flagon of water in his hands. "Please, Hime, let me take care of your—Sakura? Are you all right?" he asked, alarmed.

She was leaning forward, her panting more pronounced and painful-sounding. She had been trying to avoid this. Her voice came out in quick, breathless spurts. "Give me… a moment alone… Please?" Shakily, she stood and made her way outside, to the side of the building where most of the wind was blocked. Here, she fell upon her knees and promptly began to vomit, her wings and body quaking with pain and weakness.

Unknowing of her struggles, Syaoran remained inside the building. He sat cross-legged with his back against a box and his newly-upgraded sword resting beside him. The boy closed his eyes tiredly, holding the feather in his still-gloved hands. Mokona lay sleeping on a cardboard box a few feet from him, still faintly singing.

It was not long before Fai sat back, sweating and panting, in nothing but a pair of navy blue shorts. He reclined against a box, stretched out, trying to cool himself off.

Kurogane remarked roughly, "If we get attacked, you'll be dead in an instant." The ninja felt his face heating up and quickly looked away. _'S-stupid magician. Put some frickin' clothes on.' _

Fai chuckled. "If I don't get some relief from this heat, I'll be dead." He took note of Kurogane's flustered expression happily. "Or am I making _you_ uncomfortable, Ku-ro-rin?" he asked, emphasizing Kurogane's name with a smirk. "Perhaps I should have apologized to you rather than the princess."

The ninja's ears exploded in red, and he turned to Fai, his face enraged and blushing. "Hell, no! That's not it at all! Stupid!" _'Shut up, shut up, shut up!'_ his head was screaming.

"That was a bit too vehement a refutation, I do believe," Fai said behind a chuckle. "You should join the half-clothed masses, Kuro-puu! It's much cooler this wa—" His speech was interrupted by a fist flying swiftly toward his head. The magician, heated as he was, still evaded the hand without much difficulty.

"I most definitely WILL NOT!" Kurogane shouted. _'Because… because that would mean that we…!' _

The ninja's face reddened further, and not because of the heat. Fai chuckled. "Okay, okay. I'll not tease you anymore. Moving around makes me too hot." He settled back down. "I'm going to take a nap."

"Fine! Psh, I don't care! I don't even know why you told me that, wizard!" Kurogane very nearly shouted, turning his face to the side.

Syaoran opened his eyes, having ignored most of the inconsequential bantering of his companions, at the sound of small footsteps reentering the building. It had to be Sakura; she had been gone for ten minutes. But…

She did not look well at all.

Her skin shone both with a wavering orange aura and a slight covering of sweat. Her clothes as well as her hair were wet, plastered to her damp body as though she had taken a swim in them. She was shaking as she took small steps to the cleared-out area her companions were now sitting in. She collapsed into a sitting position as soon as she could and leaned back against a box.

Syaoran was at her side in an instant. He was at a loss of what to say. Was she sick? Could the sand have burned her skin so badly she got sick? Quickly, he looked at the shoulder that had been singed—nothing. It was smooth, white, flawless, wet skin, like the rest of her. He caught her faded eyes and pleaded with her wordlessly.

It took her a moment to gather her strength. With determination and closed eyes, she managed to whisper, "The Fire… It won't go away."

"Wh-what?" Syaoran exclaimed. The princess winced at his outburst; loud noises hurt her head.

Sakura looked desperately at him, then closed her eyes. She was so tired and in such pain; her mouth seemed such a far journey, lost in flames and covered in sleepy ashes. _'I wish… you could hear my thoughts, Syaoran… It would make this… so much easier…'_

The boy was left staring at his princess in despair. "S-Sakura…"

"Um… Perhaps I can help," Fai suggested, looking uneasily to the side. "Sakura, can you hear me?"

The princess' eyelids fluttered. _'Well, yes, but I don't suppose I could tell you that.' _

"Well, um, the thing is… is that I can hear thoughts." The smile never left his face.

Kurogane's face and ears reddened once more. _'DAMN IT!'_ "You… you…!" The ninja went for his throat, but Syaoran spoke up before things got carried away.

"Fai-san, please, tell me what I can do to help her," the boy pleaded.

Fai nodded and closed his eyes to further focus on Sakura's consciousness; Kurogane's mind was screaming at him so loud it was difficult to tune out. "Do you have any inkling as to why the, um… Fire, you called it? Why the fire is not leaving you, Hime?"

Sakura let wheezy gasps of air through; she did not have strength left to cough. _'I don't know… It started to come when the sand burned me and hasn't gone away. I noticed that I was really tired beforehand, though… It was the way I usually get if I haven't gotten a feather in a while, but I just recently got a feather. All I know is that the Fire… really hurts, and I want to sleep so bad, but it won't let me.'_ Fai heard her mind whimper.

"Perhaps if your feather was returned," the magician suggested, glancing at Syaoran, who scrambled to get the feather to Sakura's chest.

As soon as it came into contact with her drenched skin, Sakura felt the pain become sharper for a moment, then disappear altogether. She promptly coughed and fell asleep as her aura faded into a soft, tired lavender…

Before she awoke once more, drowning in a lake of fire. A scream ripped through her throat and she doubled over in Syaoran's arms, trying to claw at her back. Why was this happening to her again? _'It hurts!'_ Her fingernails dug into her sides, desperate for an outlet for her pain until Syaoran took her hands and held her close against his body, being careful of her wings.

Sakura's companions were stunned to see that her wings were growing right before their eyes. The two appendages grew two inches longer and a half an inch wider before they ceased and Sakura slumped forward, tears streaming from her eyes. She had fallen unconscious the moment the pain released her from its grip.

Syaoran righted her in his arms and cradled her gently, hating himself for allowing her to feel such pain. "How can I… stop this?" he quietly asked no one in particular.

The party was sober, solemn. Silence reigned for a few moments until Fai spoke up. "I know Mokona is slightly… silly right now, but maybe we could contact the Dimensional Witch and ask her. Maybe she knows."

"But she'll want payment for her information," Kurogane pointed out gruffly. "What do we have to give her?"

Fai chuckled darkly. "Or what do we not want to give up…"

_SxS_

She woke up alone and terrified. She could feel immediately the absence of Syaoran, and it frightened her to no end. Had something bad happened to him? Or… had he left her?

'_N-No…'_

Sakura lay in a corner on a pile of her friends' discarded clothes. Now she sat up uncomfortably, her head heavy and fuzzy, as if she had slept too long. Her wings were sore, and she fluttered them experimentally, then froze. _'I-I can move them… I can move them like my fingers…' _

She scrambled to her feet and fell down, then rose again more slowly, blushing at herself though no one was watching her. She saw a note resting on a cardboard box near her, so she picked it up to examine its contents.

It was a note from Syaoran, in his hand. The script was beautiful, but neat and small, almost as if he wrote for efficiency. She chuckled at the thought and began to read.

Dear Sakura,

We've gone to retrieve some more of your feathers;

perhaps we'll find something to help with the Fire. I hope so.

Please take it easy, and don't leave the building. We'll be back soon.

There was an arrow pointing to the side of the note. Sakura flipped it over. The next part was scrawled quickly.

Also, I love you. More than anything.

-Syaoran

The girl smiled to herself and traced his last words on the piece of paper with her fingertips. He was so sweet. She wished he had indicated a more definite time when he would return, though. She was beginning to get worried. She shook her head, and her wings fluttered sadly. With a quick blink of the eye, the girl remembered her original intention.

There was a large mirror to her left, although caked in dirt and sand, and Sakura made her way to it. With an equally dirty rag she found lying on a nearby box, the girl tried to clear most of the dirt from the mirror. She was mostly unsuccessful in her endeavor, but at least she could see an adequate reflection of herself.

With a deep breath, Sakura fixed her gaze on her wings in the mirror and flexed them experimentally. She could feel them move at her command, and saw a slight movement in the mirror. Thrilling at her new "ability", the girl fluttered her wings, then tried to flap them as one would in flight and was surprised to feel a dull ache where the wings attached to her body. It was the same ache as she would feel after a copious amount of exercise. She giggled and put her hands on her wings, then gasped as she remembered what happened to her when anyone touched them.

She blushed to no end and quickly brought her hands to her chest, clasped together in shame. _'But… it feels good…'_ She bit her lip, appalled that she would even consider such a thing. She looked around self-consciously. _'And no one is here…' _

With the hands of someone who is tentatively experimenting, Sakura reached behind her to caress her own wings. She gasped with the pleasure and the shame, but continued on, her cheeks reddening further. Though it was already hot, Sakura felt herself warming further, particularly between her slim legs. She fell to her knees, her breathing turned to panting, and she wished she could more easily access her wings. They were fluttering out of her hands with her pleasure, and it was difficult to reach them behind her back besides that. She found herself wishing Syaoran was there.

'_Syaoran…' _

She moaned at the thought of him, _him_, doing this to her, then blushed further as the sound echoed throughout the building though she had been quiet. She moved one hand to her breast and experimentally rubbed it through the fabric of her dress. The girl gasped and moaned once more; the feeling was an electric shock of pleasure that ran straight from her nipple to between her legs.

"Oh, Syaoran…"

_SxS_

Syaoran, Fai, Kurogane, and Mokona had departed to search for feathers, even though Mokona was slightly still feather-drunk. Additionally, Syaoran was the only one to keep all of his garments, save his cloak, despite the warnings of his companions.

"I lived in Clow, a desert country like this one. Even though it's a bit warmer here, I can cope. Besides, if I die, then I can't help Sakura retrieve her feathers. And also… it's the both of you who should be worried. You've got five suns beating down on you right now. Without clothes, you two are gonna get some serious sunburn," Syaoran added, chuckled. He could easily spot redness forming on Fai's pale skin already; the magician would be in misery soon.

Mokona piped up. "I sense a feather! It's really, reeaaallllyy close!"

Syaoran tensed, feeling a presence he could not quite identify. Suddenly, it came to him. "From beneath!" He sprung out of the way, drawing his sword quickly, just as a cloud of sand appeared underneath where his feet were not one second ago.

A scorpion the size of a bus erupted out of the ground, its tail swinging dangerously as Syaoran and his companions jumped away from it. The boy looked confusedly at the beast. "Where's the feather, Mokona?" he demanded.

"It's in the left pincer!" the little creature shouted. "…I think."

"You think?" demanded Kurogane.

Mokona looked down, bashful. "Well, there are so many feathers that it's hard to pinpoint exactly where this particular feather is. You can't blame me for not knowing…"

"We'll have to kill this thing either way. We may as well get it over with," Syaoran murmured. He swiftly moved to engage the scorpion.

The creature struck out at Syaoran with its massive stinger, hissing out long and low. At this moment, Kurogane unsheathed his katana quickly and cut off the tail, giving Syaoran enough berth to jump on the scorpion and sink his sword into its back.

The boy felt raw, unbridled power manifesting into his weapon. It coursed through his veins, moved to his arms, and culminated at his sword. It was becoming difficult to contain, and Syaoran was rendered momentarily motionless as he attempted to find a way to release this power. The power was hot, fiery, and demanding, almost bloodthirsty. He grunted with the force of it and pushed the sword deeper into the beast. The scorpion screeched and flailed under Syaoran, whipping him around and attempting to throw the boy off its back, to no avail. Syaoran held on tightly, anchored to the creature with his sword—that was now glowing red. The boy's eyes widened, and he increased his grip on the sword. It was hotter than ever. He could feel the power building up in the sword, in his body, in his soul, until he feared he might explode. He had to find a way to release this energy.

It was a string, in his heart. Small and unobtrusive, diminutive. But it was glowing red-hot, and so Syaoran mentally tugged at it, imagining he was unraveling a sweater.

In a split second, his sword glowed bright yellow and released all of the pent-up power within in one massive explosion. The scorpion was burned so quickly that nothing was left of it other than the feather. Syaoran's companions were blown back twenty feet, and there was a huge glass crater in the ground where Syaoran lay with his sword, still flaming slightly, at his side. He had the feather clutched tightly in his hand as he rested, panting. He was exhausted.

Syaoran's companions raced up to him as soon as they had righted themselves. "Damn it, kid, what was that?" Kurogane demanded.

The boy turned to look at him. "There was… so much power building up. I couldn't control it very well."

"Well, you better learn how," was Kurogane's tactical response.

Syaoran nodded, sitting up. He rubbed the back of his head gingerly, where a huge knot was forming; he had knocked it against the ground pretty hard.

Fai spoke up, smiling. "How about you go back to the building, Syaoran? You can give Sakura-chan back her feather while Kuro-tin, Mokona, and I search for more." (In the background, Mokona grumbled, "Search? They're everywhere, everywhere.")

Syaoran quickly stood, his eyes wide. "But it's my job to retrieve her feathers. I can't put that on you without helping. I'm going with you."

"But Sakura-chan is probably awake by now, and she's all alone. What if something happens to her?" Mokona pointed out.

"I left her a note… Besides, couldn't Fai-san or Kurogane-san stay with her?" Syaoran was losing, and he knew it. His desire to see the princess was weakening his resolve.

"Kid," Kurogane said firmly, staring into Syaoran's eyes, "you're really stupid, you know that?"

Fai sighed. "Syaoran, please go back to Sakura-chan. Kuro-puppy and I are perfectly capable of getting a few feathers, and I'm certain that Sakura is feeling quite lonely without you. And you want to see her right now, too, right?" He held up a hand, silencing Syaoran's unspoken somewhat-protest. "Also, you probably won't be too good of a fighter being worried about her and distracted by the mere thought of her."

Syaoran's face turned red. "Perhaps… you are right. I'm going back." He sheathed his smoking sword and sprinted away from his companions, clutching the feather.

Fai chuckled when the boy was out of earshot. "It seems he needs to learn that Sakura doesn't just need a feather-retriever."

Kurogane squirmed, uncomfortable. "It's none of our business." _'Great, now I'm alone with this stupid mind-reading… Crap. You heard that, didn't you?'_

The mage only smiled.

_SxS_

Syaoran sprinted as quickly as his tired legs would carry him to the building where his love was. The wind whipped his hair and the sand threatened to scratch his goggles. He almost wished he had kept his cloak to keep the heavy grains of sediment from stinging his skin; but he knew that Sakura was sleeping on it. Knowing that it was underneath her, cushioning her body brought a blush to his face. Here he was again, wanting her.

He wondered briefly if she ever thought of him in such a way. Did she sometimes wake in the middle of the night, hot and sweaty and panting, needing his touch so much that she could not sleep, could only turn her face to him and wish he was touching her. Syaoran sighed. _'Of course not, idiot. She's not you.'_

The boy came to the entrance of the building, but stopped short before opening the door. What was that soun—

"_Syaoran_…"_*_ His name sounded through the walls of the building and hit him like a ton of bricks, like a bullet, like a kiss. Her voice was full and breathless, a bit high-pitched even for her. Following his name came a soft gasp and a mewl.

'_Oh, Kami.' _His breathing turned to gasps.

He edged closer to the door and opened it barely, allowing only enough space to see through with one eye.

'_Oh, Kami.'_

**A/N: AH! I know! I know! I really wanted to get this one out as soon as possible before being (possibly) insanely busy. Again, I'll try to keep the updates regular, but in about two weeks, I'll be unable to update for seven days. I will type my fangirl shoes off until then, all for you guys. :D **

**Reviews are insanely, insanely, INSANELY appreciated: Let me know what you think! **

**DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Tsubasa Chronicle. **

*** This is Sakura through the door. I'm sure you could figure this out for yourselves, but it's only in italics because she's stressing the word. You know why. ;)**


	10. Chapter 10: I Want You

**A/N: And here is Chapter 10! The big ONE-OH! :D :D TWO DIGITS! Maybe I should have a party… :)**

**Astrid 01: THANK YOU for reviewing, and for being such a faithful reader/reviewer! The fight scene did turn out better than I thought it would; I just get so apprehensive about things like that, hehe. Syaoran **_**is**_** absolutely adorable, but he can be just as dirty as Sakura… ;) *evil laugh***

**Icecate45: Thank you for reviewing, and for the compliments! :) About Syaoran's love confession: I have always wanted to write a love confession as a sort of last-ditch effort to convey feelings before someone died, and hopefully give them the strength to go on. I know—I'm such a romantic. **

**Kurinai: Thank you for reviewing! :) Also, I love your name. About the one-shots: I know, right? The one-shots always leave me with a sort of unsatisfied feeling, like I needed more than just the one. And writing a journey for them is just so fun. Hehe, I hope I satisfy!**

**Tujing: Thank you for reviewing! :) Hehe, you will see! **

**The Anonymous Coward: Thank you for reviewing—particularly for the constructive criticism. :) I have always seen Syaoran as a quiet, solemn person, a thinker and a doer rather than someone to say things, so it would make sense that he wouldn't have the powers of rhetoric. That said, with his distant and formal relationship with Sakura through chapters 1-6 and even some of 7, I felt that some "proper" dialogue was necessary—because he was afraid to upset her or seem too familiar with her, he used the formal speech to push himself away. Additionally, because of his quiet nature (to me), I felt like every time he had something important to say, he would think about it over and over until the words were arranged in such a way as to have a large impact. However, looking over chapters 6 on, I realize that the regular dialogue choices were a bit too eloquent and "put together" (particularly in chapters 6 and 7, when he should have been absolutely freaking out and barely able to articulate anything during Sakura's crisis). The words and idiosyncrasies that just change the tone (such as using "maybe" rather than "perhaps", using contractions rather than spelling things out, or even using a string of a few vaguely connected words to convey a feeling—I just… I don't… Why?—rather than having a full thought put together) I see that I've neglected in terms of Syaoran's character. Thank you for pointing this out—I didn't really notice it before, but I'll make sure to watch out for it in the future, because I agree with this perspective for the most part. :)**

**xxxLemonBlossomxxx: Thank you for reviewing! :) I hope I can continue to make you feel this way! :D **

**Warning: This is an **_**intense**_** chapter—and not for the reasons you might think. Brace yourselves.**

**DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Tsubasa Chronicle.**

**Chapter 10: I Want You**

The five suns that bore down on the planet and its inhabitants slowly, one by one, began to descend, giving way to a single gargantuan moon that took up the entire sky. The harsh light and heat disintegrated and were replaced by a soft, serene blue light and a creeping chill. The sand looked like snow—and in a few hours, it would feel like snow as well, for there was no moisture in the air to retain any kind of high temperature.

The winds continued to thrash about unmercifully, tossing sand here and there. It only added to the barren coldness of the landscape.

However, despite the oncoming chill, the girl was working herself into a sweat.

"Syaoran…!" His name was a desperate plea, a gasp. She sat on her knees in the middle of the floor, her side to him, clutching her wings with difficulty. Her face was turned ever so slightly; her cheeks were bright with pleasure and partial shame; her beautiful green eyes were half-lidded, glazed. Her mouth was wet and succulent, begging to be kissed. Her aura was a bright pink edged with white, and her scent, warm and heady and sweet, filled the room. She had no idea he was there.

She bit her full bottom lip, stifling a particularly loud moan, and threw back her head, breathing deeply. She pulled something against her heaving chest, rubbed it against her face—what was it?

"Oh, Syaoran…"

'_She's… holding my cloak…' _He nearly came. His control was melting quickly; he became feverish. Syaoran could not take it, so he backed away from the door and turned immediately around to nearly slam his back into the exterior wall of the building.

Her face reddened further as she voiced her desire to her presumed far-off love. "Please… I want you…"

With a gasp, he moved forward once more—staggered drunkenly to the door. His face was downcast, but his body was tense, his heart pounding. Blood crashed through his veins harshly, almost stinging as he registered her pleas. Her soft moans rang in his ears until they were all he could hear—all he could see was her body, clad in that soft white dress.

Syaoran's mouth began to water, and he went crazy with lust.

He stepped out from the doorway now, into the open, and a loud snap from his boot hitting the concrete floor announced his presence.

The girl's eyes widened upon looking at him, and her face reddened. She stood up, though shakily, and removed her hands from her wings. "S-S-Syoaran! I-I-I-I…" The princess looked down, unable to articulate her shame as her jade eyes filled with tears. How long had he been there?

The boy took a step forward and cast his eyes up to look at her. When he spoke, his voice was dangerously low. "Sakura… I want you." With that, he began to slowly walk toward her.

Sakura took a step back for every one of his forward steps, her eyes wide with fear. What was going to happen? Was he really… _'No! Syaoran would never…'_ But when her wings met the wall behind her, Syaoran continued to advance. The princess started shaking, unable to speak.

When he reached her, the boy placed one hand above her head on the wall, and the other hand gripped her waist. His breathing was hot and ragged, and he pressed her body tightly to the wall with his own. He devoured her trembling neck, kissing, licking. Her skin was a drug. The sight, the scent, the taste—overwhelming. He needed more.

'_No… no… It's too fast. Too much—too soon… I can't… I can't…' _the princess thought desperately.

His hands, as hungry as his mouth, moved to her wings and fondled them, stroked them, eliciting a whimper and a tear from his princess. He began to move against her clothed body, thrusting into her.

The girl bit into her lip harshly. _'No… No!'_ She could not move.

"Sakura…" Hurriedly, Syaoran pulled at the strings securing her dress to her body and lowered the shoulder. He ducked his head and kissed her skin.

"Please… stop…" Her voice was weak, barely audible in her blocked throat.

He continued on, as if he had not heard her words, as if he did not feel the wetness of her tears in his hair, as if he did not realize her body was shaking.

The tears continued to flow. "S-Syaoran, don't… Please, don't—"

"Shhh. I want you," he whispered, preparing to lower her dress from her shoulders.

Sakura gave one sob before nodding. She would allow him to do this, if he wanted it. She would do anything for him. Even this. Even _like_ this. The tears ceased to fall.

With trembling lips, the girl placed a soft kiss on his cheek. "I love you, Syaoran." She could only breathe the words.

_SxS_

'_I can't believe this,'_ Kurogane thought as he and Fai trudged through the sand. Mokona hung loosely around Fai's neck, drooling slightly.

"I know—it's so _hot_," was Fai's reply.

The ninja's eyebrow twitched. He still was not used to his companion's ability, and, frankly, he was quite pissed off by it. However, this ability meant that Kurogane did not have to waste his breath in speech. _'That's not what I meant. We've already got seven more feathers and dinner for a week.'_

The magician chuckled, his thin smile wavering. "There is no way I'm eating scorpion and lizard for a week."

'_You will if it's the only damn thing to—'_ "Watch out!" The warning came out verbally in his haste to alert Fai, but a strong feeling from Kurogane told the blonde that the danger was coming from above.

The magician managed to look up just in time to see a monstrous buzzard hurtling directly for him. However, just as he dodged, Fai witnessed Kurogane charge toward the beast, sword in hand.

The red-eyed man had jumped instinctively the moment he realized that danger was near. His katana hummed with energy—or was that simply his adrenaline making his hands shake?

As he sliced through the beak of the large bird in midflight, Kurogane chuckled. The blade had stuck before hitting the brain, and the creature was screeching in pain and fear. With a swift and final flick of the wrist, Kurogane forced his katana through the remainder of the bird, cutting it clean in half. He chuckled once more.

What a silly thought. His hands did not shake.

When Kurogane turned to face his companions, he saw that the magician had leapt up to catch a feather that he had apparently not noticed in the midst of victory. And why should he have? The princess' feathers were of no concern to him; they were simply a means to an end. If Sakura did not get her feathers back, then the kid would refuse to travel, and the white jelly bean would then refuse to be the transportation device. And then Kurogane would not be able to return to his world to give Tomoyo a piece of his mind—or his sword, he didn't care. So, he would fight and help return the feathers to that girl, if only to go back to where he was. Which was what he wanted.

Even though his stomach twisted every time he thought about going back when his companions would continue on without him.

The ninja made an annoyed sound before considering it once more. He wouldn't miss them—would he?

'_No.'_

Fai returned the ninja from his musings with one term. "Kuro-liar."

'_Damn you.' _

"You'll miss us, when the time comes for you to get your wish fulfilled."

Kurogane hated that the mage knew that he knew that he was right. _'Let's just get some more feathers.'_

But the blonde's icy gaze bore down on Kurogane and rendered him motionless. The smile on Fai's face had disappeared, giving way to a thin line. "Kurogane, you can't keep pushing everyone away! You can't keep acting as if you don't care, as if we don't matter to you. I—we'll start to believe it."

The ninja regarded Fai calmly, having noticed the slip-up.

The blonde looked down, the smile back on his face. After a moment of weighted silence, he murmured, "Perhaps you were right, Kuro-tan; we should go." Fai turned away and began walking.

"You keep everyone away, too."

Fai continued walking, his smile strained. The magician sensed another presence beside him besides Kurogane and Mokona, but did not point it out. He was waiting.

Kurogane had just begun following after the blonde when a snake lurched out from the snake, aiming for his companion. With a swift shout, Kurogane unsheathed his sword.

Fai evaded the deadly blow—just barely. His almost-white hair rustled with the wind and the speed of his leap. When he landed back on the sand, the snake was prepared for another strike.

This time, Fai hesitated. Did he really want this? Did he really want to continue with this? He moved slowly, sluggishly, and hoped it would be quick.

"NO!" Kurogane screamed as he pushed the stupid mage out of the way. He was caught in the path of the snake and there was no time to dodge. So, the ninja did the only thing he knew how to do in a situation such as this—charge.

His blade sunk into the roof of the snake's mouth, and he himself only narrowly missed the fangs. The beast lunged, lurched, trying to expel this obstruction from its mouth. The ninja reached out and took a fang in his hand—it was as thick as the handle of his katana—and yanked on it savagely. The creature hissed long and low as Kurogane reached up above it, fang in hand, and stabbed it in the eye.

Needless to say, the beast went down. Kurogane took the feather—'Another one?' he thought briefly—and then turned to the magician whose life he had saved once again.

Fai was enraged. "Why?"

Kurogane was confused. 'Why, what? I just saved your sorry life again!'

"Don't you get it? I want to—Oh, forget it."

The blonde turned away once more, leaving Kurogane with a slowly building rage.

_SxS_

"I love you, Syaoran…"

Her words, laced with sorrow and compassion and embedded with truth, broke him of his lust-induced madness. Syaoran snapped up and stared into her glassy green pools with horror.

'_Oh, Kami… What have I done?'_ the boy thought. Tears filled his eyes, but he could not speak, could not convey to her his sorrow, his regret. He broke down.

Backing away from her, eyes wide with self-disgust and shock, he turned and clutched at his head, his hair. "I'm sorry." His voice was hoarse, breathless.

The princess fell to her knees upon his relinquished grip—her knees had become weak with her internal struggle. "S-Syaoran?" she asked, her voice small.

"I'm so sorry. Oh, Kami, what have…? Damn it!" He moved across the room and punched the wall, denting it. "Damn it!"

His other fist made swift contact, and a sizable hole was made. He sunk face-first into the wall and slid down it, his hands still clenched against it. "Damn it... I'm so sorry, Sakura… I can't even tell you how much I… I… Damn it!"

He was beginning to frighten her, more than he already had, but Sakura felt her fear being overcome by sadness for him. Tears filled her eyes once more, but this time for his sake. _'Syaoran…'_ The girl knew she could not stand quite yet, so she settled for crawling tentatively over to him. He could not bring himself to look at her as she spoke.

"I-it's all right, Syaoran… I've decided that, i-if it's what you want, then I… I'll do it, for you. I would do anything for you… So, really, it's okay." Her voice was weak, demure.

He groaned in pain and knocked his head against the wall once, twice, three times. "Don't say that. Don't say that, Hime…"

"But i-it's true! I would do absolutely anything for you, with you… I promise. I-I know I can't do much else, what with the Fire attacking me recently… so I'll do this for you. I'll give you my… my body. It's yours."

Syaoran shook his head, a breathless sob escaping him. "No, don't—don't say that! You don't have to do anything, especially like that!" he exclaimed, banging his head once more.

Silence reigned for a long moment as the girl gathered up her thoughts.

"I love you, Syaoran…" she said. "But—but what am I supposed to do? I-it's what you want, right? It's what you want, so I—I have to… I _want_ to do whatever you do, so it's okay… I mean, I love you, so—"

He finally turned to her, his amber orbs dark with pain and grief and guilt, yet shining with his tears. The girl was stunned into silence. When he spoke, it was halting. "Sakura…" The boy reached forward and, despite her wincing at his advance, embraced her in his arms and buried his face in her hair. "I-I love you, too… so much. And you don't have to worry about—about me…" He searched for a word he could bear to say. "taking advantage of you. I will never, _never_ try to do that to you again. I promise you. I won't lose my control like that again." He released her and stood, then turned away from her.

"W-wait…" She reached up for him.

"I'm sorry. I'm going to… step outside for a bit." For a moment, he was still save for chewing on the inside of his cheek. She could see tears pricking his eyes again. He hesitated before gently saying, "Oh, a-and… here's your feather, Hime." Syaoran knelt quickly to press the feather to her heart, then stood once more.

"Hold on a mo—" She tried to stand, to escape the feather, to reach him, but it was too late.

When he left the building, it was like he was escaping.

She fell back to the floor, her legs still blasphemously weak. "Please don't leave me," she whispered, though she knew it was too late. This was all her fault. If only she had resisted the temptation, the curiosity. Now, not only was she a harpy, a bird freak—she was a whore, too. She was a whore. If she hadn't done _that_, then he wouldn't have… wanted to do that to her yet. And then he wouldn't have felt bad about it, and then he wouldn't have left her.

Her aura turned ice cold. Why did this happen? Why did she have to be so stupid? So wanton? So… shameless?

All she felt was shame now.

She resisted the feather's gentle caresses on her heart—this was no time to sleep. Still, she curled into a ball and pulled his cloak over herself once more, pressed it to her face, ruined it with salt water, only to realize with a sob that the Fire was coming for her. She could feel it, creeping slowly. That was fine with her. _'I deserve it,'_ she thought, surrendering herself to the flames that licked her, gathered around her spine. _'I deserve it.'_

When the pain blossomed around her wings and spread from there, she closed her eyes and reveled in it. At least like this, the heartbreak was blocked out. Sakura couldn't say which one she dreaded more—the Fire, or the abandonment.

_SxS_

Syaoran fell to his knees outside the building, fighting for breath. His strong back was bent as he doubled over, his hands fisted into the ground. Dry heaves racked his body—he was trying so hard to keep his sobs silent that he choked. He felt sick. What had he done? What had he done? He yearned to scream, to yell, to hit something, to be angry—anything to get rid of this sadness, this guilt.

There it was again. He had betrayed her.

'_DAMN IT! Damn it!'_ His forehead came down to rest on the sand, and he ground it into the softness, hoping for something less forgiving. _'Damn it.'_

He slammed his fist into the sand and wished that the sun had not gone down.

How did he ever hope to find retribution? He dared not consider forgiveness from her. "Sakura… I'm so sorry… I'm so—" He caught a sob in the back of his throat, but tears continued to flow from his sorrowful amber eyes, dripping into the blue sand, turning it black.

_SxS_

Approximately thirty minutes later, Fai and Kurogane returned to find Syaoran sitting down outside the building, resting against the wall with his sword in his arms. He had the look of a defeated man with his gaze cast to the ground, his mouth set into a grim, downturned curve. Fai, of course, was immediately aware of what happened, but did not show any emotion. Kurogane stepped over to him and flicked him in the forehead. "Hey, kid. We got fifteen feathers."

The boy looked up at him for a moment as if unsure of who the ninja was. Then, with a blink of recognition, he returned his gaze to the sand. "That's good. Would you give them to her?" Syaoran's voice was soft, a monotone.

Kurogane's eye twitched. "Why are you so damn depressed?"

Silence answered him, so the ninja scoffed. "Fine, then." Kurogane stormed inside the building and hesitated only a moment before approaching the exhausted, sleeping form of Sakura while Fai stayed outside with the boy.

The girl was still faintly sweating from her altercation with the Fire, though thankfully void of its pain at the moment. She breathed shallowly, almost as if she still had to pant in order to breathe with the Fire's constricting grip on her chest. She lay curled into a small ball in the center of the room with Syaoran's cloak wrapped and twisted around her. _'Figures,'_ the ninja thought.

Kurogane knelt beside the princess and roughly shook her shoulder, waking her in an instant.

"Sya—O-oh, Kuroga—" Sakura's words stopped as she saw the ninja pull the feathers out from a small pouch resting on his hip. She could not look away from the suddenly fearsome bundle of her memories. "There are so many," she observed, feigning nonchalance. Her voice dropped into a whisper. "Maybe I should take them one at a—"

The ninja rolled his eyes. "It doesn't matter, does it? Besides, if we did that, then it would take a damn long time because you always fall asleep after getting a feather. Why not get it all over with now?"

The princess smiled her smallest smile. Apparently, he had forgotten her condition. Very well; she could take it. She nodded at him, and accepted the feathers into her breast with a sense of dread in the pit of her stomach.

Outside, Syaoran regarded Fai with exposed eyes knowing that the mage was now privy to his horrible deed. _'I betrayed her. I almost… almost—"_

"What? Raped her?"

The boy visibly recoiled at the word and seriously considered killing both himself and the magician for a moment. However, he could not deny that what Fai had said was true. He _had_ almost raped Sakura, had come within an inch of doing so.

"But you didn't do it. Something stopped you, didn't it." Though Fai was highly aware of what had stopped the boy's advances, he knew that Syaoran needed to know it, too.

'_She said she loved me,'_ the boy grudgingly acknowledged.

"And?"

"And…" He stopped to think for a moment. _'And I remembered that I loved her, too, even if I was… crazy. And I knew that, deep inside, I had to wait. I somehow had to. Because I loved her, and because I would never forgive myself if I actually….' _

"But you didn't," Fai gently pointed out. "So you must forgive yourself. Where has sitting out here, moping, gotten you? Away from Sakura at her highest point of need, both because of what happened and because of getting the feather back. You abandoned her. That, to her, is worse than you almost taking advantage of her, I'm sure."

Silence reigned for a long moment as this sunk in.

Just as Syaoran was about to reply, he heard a small, strangled, feminine squeaking noise from inside the building. _'Sakura!'_ he immediately thought with an explosive, corrosive dread twisting his gut. Suddenly, he remembered her recent struggles with obtaining feathers. The horrible fire. _'And I gave… And then Kurogane… Damn it!'_ The boy scrambled up, falling once due to the slippery sand, and stumbled back into the room, calling Sakura's name urgently, though his voice was hoarse due to his repressed tears. Fai followed close behind, Mokona in tow.

Kurogane stood above her, staring at her in amazement and slight fear. He had no idea what to do. Syaoran shoved his way past the ninja, who was pulled to the side by Fai.

The girl was twisting, writhing on the floor before him. Her hands were clutching her sides— _'No,' _Syaoran thought quickly. _'She's… Oh, Kami.'_

Sakura's sides and back were decorated with dripping red lines and pink, abused skin. She desperately clawed at herself, pulled at her wings until they were in danger of being torn off. The boy's eyes widened at the sight, in panic. "Sakura!" he yelled. Syaoran rushed at her and knelt above her, pinning her arms to the floor. She was covered in sweat and dirt. Her eyes gazed up at him, blurred with pain and confusion, but she still thrashed and twisted, so badly that it was difficult for him to keep her restrained without hurting her. As he looked upon her, he witnessed the wounds healing—but he noticed that, as each scratch mark closed, she thrashed that much harder.

Though she still had control of her voice, her words were slurred. Tears streamed down her face. "Stop it! It hurts! IT BURNS!"

His amber eyes leaked tears onto the girl he had betrayed as he tried to reason with her, tried to keep from falling apart. "H-Hurting yourself won't help with the Fire, Sakura! It just makes it worse!"

"NO! I can't take it! I itch and burn and I—" Her pupils contracted for a split second, and she screamed in agony. He echoed her scream desperately, damning himself to hell for doing this to her. He had to do _something_.

Syaoran hesitantly took her into his arms and held her tight despite her thrashing limbs. "Hurt me!" he urged. "Do it! Take it out on me, damn it!" Even through his muddled haze of a panicked mind, he was quite aware that as long as she continued to sustain wounds, the Fire would heal her, even if it was so painful that she had to hurt herself to take out her frustrations. It was a vicious, unforgiving cycle.

"_NO_!" she screamed, sobbing.

With one hand, he took her chin and forced to look at him, though he was unsure if she could even see through the pain anymore. His mouth was set, his amber eyes smoldering in spite of the tears. "It's all right," he said, struggling to keep his voice calm to some degree, though he was torn apart inside. "Let me be your outlet, Sakura. It's okay! Just let me take it—_let me take your pain_!"

For a moment, he was convinced she had not heard a word he had said. However, her struggles ceased for a split second and her eyes focused. Pain-stricken, terrified jade orbs bored into panicked amber eyes for what seemed like eternity before she lowered her face to push against his shoulder.

"I'm sorry," was her whispered, hoarse offering.

He felt pain blossom in the junction between his shoulder and neck as she bit down, hard, and felt a similar pain in his forearms as her fingernails dug in. He panted for breath, trying to fight off the instinctual urge to cease his pain, and closed his eyes. Syaoran forced his body to relax as her hands gripped at him frantically and she bit harder. He could feel her fear and guilt as if she were siphoning it into him.

It killed her to take out her frustrations on him—the most important person in her life, her existence. How could she? This was _her_ pain, _her_ battle—why did she have to bring him into this struggle? She had to stop, she had to stop. It was a chant in her muddled brain until the Fire increased its heat and made her scream, quake. She knew she was hurting him, but she couldn't help it. The Fire was just so hot, so scary…

Syaoran opened his eyes to search for the remainder of his companions. He caught sight of the three immediately, all staring at himself and the princess with varying degrees of concern and confusion. The girl in his arms trembled weakly and let out another pain-filled scream. His eyes begged them for an answer to the question everyone considered.

How could this be stopped?

_SxS_

An hour later, the magician, the ninja, and the white jelly bean all sat together outside the building in front of a small fire as Syaoran and Sakura continued their struggles inside. Mokona had worried its little self to sleep, but the two adults could hardly rest due to the screams still emanating from the building.

Kurogane began with an angry confession. _'It's all my fault. I gave her the feathers—'_

"No, it is not your fault," Fai interrupted. "It was bound to happen sooner or later. We can't afford to not return her feathers. We would have been forced to give her feathers back after a while. It's not something we can avoid."

'_But, so many at once? And she knew, too, damn it! She knew, she was afraid of it—so why didn't she stop me? She should have freaking said something, dammit!'_

"You know her; she probably thought she could handle it."

'_She's always trying so hard… Damn girl.' _

The mage chuckled at him without humor. "So, this is how you deal with sadness, mmm, Kuro-tan? You get angry and throw insults and push everyone further away."

'_Watch yourself, magician.'_ The ninja's red gaze was deadly.

"You know why? Because you can't stand getting sad in the first place. You don't let yourself connect with anyone so they can't do something that hurts you—you can't be hurt something that's a mile away, right? But when you slip up, when you let yourself start to even care about something or someone other than yourself or your insane objective, your wish, you can't stand it, can you. So you start pushing."

Kurogane stood up, looming furiously over Fai_. 'You're one to talk! You don't even push people away—you just run away from them! So damn selfish! At least I show some f***ing emotion! At least I do something instead of just sitting there with that goddamn false smile, distancing myself, not showing any part of myself! At least I'm not a fake!'_ He paused, filled to the brim with emotion. _'At least I don't want to f***ing throw away my life when the people I love care about me!'_ Kurogane paused, his eyes widening. Had he just said that?

The magician's smile faltered, then disappeared completely. "W-what?"

The ninja turned away. "Nothing. Forget it."

"No, you—"

"Um, hey, do you hear that?" Kurogane hastily asked.

Fai surrendered and looked down for a moment, then returned his smiling gaze to his companion. "Hear what?"

"Exactly. I think it ended."

The two raced to the building to discover what had caused the cease in sound.

Inside, Sakura lay sleeping peacefully in the arms of her protector. Syaoran cradled her gently in his scratched and bleeding arms and rested her head on the shoulder that was not bloody. When Fai and Kurogane entered, he looked up at them.

After a moment, the boy said, with a voice hoarse from crying and screams, "I don't know if I should feel relieved or mad at the worlds."

"Kid, it was my fault, I—"

Syaoran silenced the ninja with a grave amber stare. "No. It's mine. I betrayed her trust. I abandoned her. You returned the feathers that I was supposed to give her, Kurogane-san. And it's my fault that even happened."

"What are you going to do?" Fai inquired.

Syaoran shrugged and returned his eyes to the princess. "Well, I guess it all depends on her. Whether or not she can stand to be with me anymore. And what she thinks can be done about the Fire. Maybe we could contact the Dimensional Witch, if you're okay with it. But, I'm absolutely certain about one thing." He paused. "I'll die before I leave her side again."

**A/N: Ah! I know, that was a longer one, right? I apologize for Kurogane's cursing and the insane angstiness between Syaoran and Sakura. I had such a hard time writing this chapter; I must have rewritten it three times. I couldn't decide on whether to actually let Sakura and Syaoran ALMOST **_**do**_** it or not, or wait; how to approach Syaoran's lust-induced madness—that is, just how far to take it and take him away from his normal self—; and then I had a whole slew of problems with the aftermath. **

**And as for Kurogane, Fai, and Mokona—well, let's just say that because I'm not as comfortable with them, it's difficult for me to churn out a deep conversation for them. Please tell me—am I doing well at all with keeping them in character? Even a little bit?**

**Questions and Comments? :)**

**DISCLAIMER: Once again, I do NOT own Tsubasa Chronicle. **


	11. Chapter 11: Progress

**A/N: And here is Chapter Eleven! **

**Astrid01: Happy (ultra super late) Birthday—even though I guess I already gave you a birthday present, hehe. ;) Yes; I originally had it so that there was some heavy "petting" between Syaoran and Sakura (nothing more), but I decided that it would be way too early, and it would make things start running too fast, not just between them but for the entire story. Plus, it forces our main couple to acknowledge that they have problems. Happy Birthday once again!**

**Icecat45: Thank you for reviewing! :D And for your perspectives. I've kind of always seen Fai as the voice of reason (if cold) in the group—which is why I gave him the ability to read minds—and so I tried to employ him to talk some sense to Syaoran. Also, I decided that the group needs to be more integrated—not just SyaoSaku and KuroFai (and Mokona), but a group of traveling companions who interact with one another and are actually pretty good friends, despite Kurogane's and Fai's aversions to connecting with people. HOWEVER! There will still be many, MANY cute little squeal-inducing scenes between our couples! (Sorry, I can't help myself—when I write those scenes, I'm just indulging in my fantasies… Shameful, I know.) About Syaoran and Sakura: Note that he didn't take the pain of the Fire—just her frustrations. Though it's an unorthodox analogy, think of it as the same sort of thing a pregnant woman giving birth does with squeezing the life out of someone's hand as she pushes. About Kurogane and Fai: PHEW! Oh, my gosh, I was SO worried I had either gotten them or was completely off-base. A lot of everyone's "battles" came to a front in chapter ten, and I hope that the (albeit ongoing) resolutions will please you as the previous chapters have. (Wow, I need to stop writing such long review responses.) **

**Louise: Thank you for reviewing! :) Hehe, I am glad that I can elicit such powerful reactions from you! :D And I hope that I can continue to do so. **

**And to all of you who reviewed during my, erm… absence… although it would take forever (and a lot of space) to thank each one of you personally, I will thank you as a group: THANK YOU FOR REVIEWING!**

**ATTENTION: Okay, I think I might need to make this clear once more as a precautionary measure: This fanfic, from the moment Sakura began to grow her wings and get powers, has deviated from the original path of Tsubasa Chronicle. It is NOT CANON. To be more clear: There will be absolutely no clones or anything like that, simply because I think that they make the story much, much too complicated. I'm telling everyone this because I don't want you to start getting confused—"Where are the clones?", and such. That said, I decided to take the "opposites" part of the Syaoran and Clone Syaoran thing and put it into this fic's Syaoran—that isn't to say that Syaoran has multiple personalities or is bipolar or anything, but it does mean that he "loses his control" sometimes, and does things that he normally wouldn't. **

**Pertaining to my absence: Wow. Has it really been this long? I started this chapter such a long time ago… I know I owe you all an explanation—which is in no way an excuse. Please see my profile page for a detailed explanation of my… absence as a writer. **

**I sincerely apologize for my lack of commitment to you, my wonderful (and hopefully forgiving) readers, and I promise to try harder.**

**DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Tsubasa Chronicle. **

**Chapter 11: Progress **

_I am younger again, running through the halls of a gorgeous palace. Stop, turn, look. Smile at nothing. Again. It must be my imaginary friend, but I can't help feeling that this person—virtually my only friend in my childhood days, it seems—is real. I pause a moment, as if the other person is saying something, and then respond with an emphatic, "I'm glad you're my friend, too, -" _

_It's always like that. I say something to this imaginary friend, then I can't catch its name, even though I am the one saying it. Even though I created it. "Hey, do you wanna go play in the garden?" _

_Another pause, then I step forward and grab empty air—does this mean that my imaginary friend said "yes"? Run to the palace garden—it's beautiful, but from my other memories, I already know this._

_I spend all day in the garden, spend all my time there having what I presume to be a one-sided conversation and playing with my presumed imaginary friend. _

_Then, I shift to another day in the growing store of memories in my mind—a dinner party. Then a banquet. A coronation. More playing with that imaginary friend. I tend to do that a lot. But, I'm older in one memory. Running through the streets, holding its hand. My heart is pounding loudly because of the connection—but how impossible? It's an imaginary friend, how can I have feelings for it? How is it that I can feel its hand holding mine? _

_There it is. That nagging sensation. _

_Cheated. There has to be something more to my memories. This friend, my only friend—I love it. Love. I love it the same way I love Syaoran—the _exact_ same way. Why would I? Unless-_

_An electric shock, then darkness. _

_SxS_

None of them, other than the princess and Mokona, could sleep. After bandaging Syaoran and placing Sakura in a large pallet by the fireplace they had uncovered, the three males sat together, huddled in front of it in an effort to keep warm. Without the suns, the heat had dissipated quickly, leaving room for the wind to chill everything.

Fai seemed more cheerful given the change in temperature, but Syaoran and Kurogane could not share his enthusiasm with the cold. However, the magician's spirit had been dampened considerably when he felt the effects of his earlier half-nakedness.

Syaoran looked at the red skin and found the urge to smile at the mage's silliness, though he was exhausted both physically and emotionally. "That looks like a nasty sunburn, Fai-san," he pointed out not unkindly.

Fai answering chuckle was prickled with the aches of having burned skin. "I should have listened to you. But I don't know how I'm going to manage being so hot."

For a moment, the only sound was that of the fire crackling. Syaoran turned to look at his princess; she had been tossing for some time now with a frustrated look on her face. _'They must not be making sense to her,'_ he thought, referring to her returned memories.

"They grew," observed Kurogane, following Syaoran's gaze. His companions looked at him as if he were insane, and then Syaoran became suspicious and narrowed his eyes. "I mean her wings, damn it-!"

"Shh!" Fai and Syaoran whispered simultaneously. The sight of the two of them, half kneeling, half standing with their forefingers to their lips, was enough to make the ninja crack a brief smile.

Once it was established that Kurogane would now be quiet, Fai answered to his previous statement. "I believe they grow every time she gets a feather, which would explain why the Fire comes to her when a feather is returned."

Syaoran looked at him with confusion. "But, how?"

"Well, think about it. With each feather that is returned to Sakura-chan, her wings grow about two inches in approximately five to ten minutes, correct? That's a lot of growing in such a short time."

"Are you saying that the Fire is her wings' growing pains?" Kurogane asked flatly.

The magician snickered a bit. "In a way, I suppose. I imagine that her bones have to adjust in order for the wings to grow. That, and the wings themselves must grow—the feathers, the bones, the skin. There is a lot that goes into such appendages, and it must take a healthy amount of energy to get everything to grow like that. Or, it may be that her feathers are putting her wings into a speeded aging process when they are returned—the cells die off and are replaced by new ones, more of them, only Sakura's body is not able to fund such frenzied regeneration. This is where the Fire comes in: Its primary purpose is to dramatically speed her body's restoration at the expense of the pain-center of her brain, correct? And that is why the Fire is required." He paused. "Of course, this is all speculation and I'm probably not right."

Kurogane's eyebrow twitched. "Then why'd you say anything at all, magician."

Syaoran opened his mouth, about to respond to Fai's musings, but the group was distracted by a scuffling noise under the floor of the building. Each man rose to a suspicious crouch, and Syaoran and Kurogane pulled out their blades swiftly and silently. The boy was loathe to wake his sleeping princess, so he decided to wait until the last possible moment.

There was another rustling noise across the room, still underground, and Fai—with his light step—floated over as silently as he could. The mage's smile, once they stood above the rustling noise, came more easily, and he visibly relaxed. He raised a hand to his companions in order to signal them to stand down, but both men only lowered their weapons and straightened slightly. Then, Fai knelt on the floor and knocked on a plank of wood hard. "Hello down there!" he cried in a loud, happy voice. "Care to join us?"

A small, startled scream and a few thumps were heard under the building, and Syaoran's eyebrow arched. His confusion and previous hostility were calmed soon, though, as a trap door was raised, revealing a face he knew all too well. _'Ryu-o!_' Syaoran thought, and he immediately sheathed his sword.

Ryu-o emerged from the trapdoor warily, obviously just a bit embarrassed that he had been found out. "What are you all doing here?" the boy demanded, his long brown hair falling into his eyes despite the cloth tied around his forehead.

Syaoran spoke up first. "We don't mean any harm, really. We're just here to, em, collect data on the creatures of the desert."

The newcomer's eyes narrowed. "The village hasn't received any sort of confirmation of that. And there were representatives from Shimaiton just yesterday."

"We come from… farther away."

"Almost on a separate planet," Fai supplied as his companions gave him panicked looks.

Ryu-o was still suspicious to some extent, but he seemed to accept them for the most part. "Well, since I don't think you wanna kill us… I guess I'll show you to the village elder. He'll want to talk to you. Plus, we might be able to spare a room—the nights are pretty long here, and it's only gonna get colder and colder. You don't wanna be around when high moon kicks, if you know what I mean."

Kurogane's eyebrow twitched, and he muttered, too low for the boy to hear, "Actually, no, I don't know what you mean."

"That sounds great," Syaoran quickly said. "Thank you." Though he could not bring himself to smile after the ordeal he and his love had gone through, the boy felt his heart grow lighter upon seeing his friend. Or, at least this world's version of his friend.

Ryu-o seemed uncomfortable for a moment, but he swallowed it and turned around, gesturing at the hole he was standing in. "So, follow me, if you want."

"Hai, hai!" Fai said cheerily, his close-lipped smile widening. "Just give us a second to gather our things, if you would."

Ryu-o nodded and stood back, becoming a tad bit more at ease with Fai's amiable attitude.

Syaoran turned to Sakura, who still lay sleeping fitfully. Her face again held that look of discontent, of irritation, of restlessness, while her aura twisted in a tumult of blue and gray. He wondered what exactly was ruining her slumber, wondered how he could help. The amber-eyed boy knelt and gently, almost as if he was afraid he would break her, wrapped her up in the blankets—he wasn't sure if it would be wise to reveal her wings as of yet, so the blankets were a means to hide the white appendages. Well, that… and he didn't want her to get cold.

When she was firmly wrapped up in the blankets—_'So cute,' _thought Syaoran—the boy picked her up in his arms, being careful not to wake her. The effect on the girl was immediate; she visibly relaxed and curled her body to him, her aura glowing a much more tranquil pink. An almost smug smile tugged at Syaoran's lips as he witnessed the effect he had on her.

When he heard a rather loud and uncomfortable cough in the gruff tone of Kurogane, Syaoran turned to his companions and Ryu-o to find that they were all waiting for him, watching expectantly—though, when he caught Ryu-o's eye, the other boy turned away, blushing. Syaoran wondered what he had done. "Um, ready. Lead the way, Ry—er, you, that is."

With a brief quizzical glance in Syaoran's direction, Ryu-o began to lead his acquaintances down the stairs to the village after closing the trapdoor behind them.

**_SxS_**

The descent into the ground and towards Ryu-o's village was not a long one. It was a walk of ten, maybe fifteen minutes until the party saw lanterns decorating the otherwise dim streets. The air was still here—but that was to be expected of an underground cavern. Large pillars littered the town, rising up to the "sky" to hold the ground above. Every building and shop was brown and dusty, but the people that scurried about were some of the most colorful Syaoran had ever seen. They wore bright, fantastical clothes of every color, shape, and size, and they all flit about happily to tend to gardens and shops. A thought struck Syaoran.

"Um, isn't it nighttime? And still, so many people are out. And also, how can there be gardens without any sunlight? The fruits look like they're thriving…" Syaoran inquired.

Ryu-o laughed aloud at the sudden burst of questions. "Well, underground, it doesn't really matter if it's daytime or not—the lanterns stay on all the time, so people don't worry about the daily clock. Also, we gotta have a certain amount of people awake at any one time, to fend off attacks from the Sabakono."

"Sabakono?"

"Err, the massive beasts in the desert. You must have seen them before. Legend has it that they used to be ordinary creatures, but one day, there was this big light—brighter than the _suns_—and it transformed the creatures into huge monstrosities that were just bent on destruction. They caused the people of this country so much trouble that everyone had to move underground. What's worse is that they never died. But the Sabakono need heat to stay active, so they hibernate in the sand during the nighttime, when it gets real cold." His tone suddenly darkened. "Well, that's what usually happens…"

Fai spoke up. "But sometimes, they find this place. Because it's warm, right?"

Ryu-o nodded solemnly. "We haven't been attacked for a month now, but everyone's still kinda worried. They always are. When the Saba' come, it always means trouble. But you just wait—they won't stand a chance against me next time!" The boy raised a fist in determination, his green eyes sparkling. "And then everyone will see me as a great warrior like my father!"

Syaoran felt a smile tug at one corner of his mouth and succumbed to it. It was always refreshing to be around Ryu-o's bright energy, though at the same time, Syaoran found it quite exhausting. "I'm sure they will," he allowed sincerely.

Ryu-o felt his cheeks redden slightly in response. "Oh, and about the plants… Ours don't need the sun. I mean, sure we've got a special type of light that we shine on them sometimes to make sure they stay healthy, but otherwise, they just grow with fertilizer and water. They don't exactly taste very good, but they're filling, ya know?"

Syaoran nodded, and then Ryu-o fell silent. They continued to walk on the streets, amongst the people for a good ten more minutes. Sakura did not stir through the whole journey, and the group reached the center of town soon enough.

Upon a high throne sat what could only be described as a monarch. Though technically it was a man, the figure that reclined before them with its magnificent, flowing robes, piercing, wise eyes, strong chin, and slightly greying hair exuded so much regality and imminence even Kurogane felt the urge to bow before him. As the group approached him, this king regarded them with a calm expression, betraying no emotion.

Ryu-o sank to his knees at the base of the throne and bowed his head, setting an example that Kurogane, Fai, and Syaoran automatically followed. Silenced followed—even the people in the streets quieted to watch this spectacle. No one moved.

Syaoran tensed as the time drug on, slipping his gaze upward to regard the king calmly and determinedly, clutching his princess closer to him as if protecting her from anything the king might throw at them.

Minutes continued to tick by, marked only by the soft, sleeping breaths of Sakura as she dreamed. Tension mounted.

Kurogane was about to spring up and demand to know what the hell the king was waiting for and who exactly the king thought he was, making them all kneel like that—it was very uncomfortable—when a loud, booming voice echoed around the town square.

"WELCOME!" the king had shouted exuberantly, taking the group before him—all but Ryu-o, who had been expecting it—quite aback. Sakura awoke with a start and a small scream, her aura flashing an alarmed red and her heart and wings fluttering in fear until she felt Syaoran's warm arms around her. The boy gave her forehead a small kiss to comfort her.

"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH—" Kurogane was interrupted by the loud smack of Fai's hand over his mouth. Savagely, he tore away from the magician and turned towards the king, who was now beaming at them triumphantly.

"HA! I bet I had you scared, didn't I? Didn't expect such an old man to be so loud, did you, now?" The king laughed once more. "Now, what can I do for you? Ryu-o, who are your guests?"

Ryu-o spoke up in a strong, determined voice, suddenly formal in addressing this man. "Elder Jenno, these are travelers from a distant country. They are here to study the Sabakono, so I thought we might be of use to them. Can they stay in the village while they are in this area?"

'_Oh, that's right,'_ thought Syaoran._ 'He's an elder, isn't he. Not a king.' _Immediately, Syaoran felt himself wondering why, then, this elder had a throne and clothing so magnificent.

"Ah, the desert creatures. Well, I suppose they can stay with us for a while, but I am not certain if our village will be of much use, other than a few old stories and beds to sleep on," the elder replied, standing from his throne. "What are your names, by the way?"

"My name is Fai D. Flourite. A pleasure to meet you, sir," said Fai with a grandiose bow.

Kurogane grunted his name with not much more than an angry twitch. Mokona, of course, piped up after Kurogane, dreamily stating that it loved rabbits and butter. Apparently, it was still suffering from the feather-induced delirium despite being underground.

"I am Syaoran, and this is Sakura," the boy said calmly, inclining his head toward said princess, who seemed too sleepy to speak. Her aura was a weak, dreamy lavender.

"My name is Elder Jenno. A pleasure to meet you. Now, Ryu-o, I have some business to attend to, but please show them to the inn. They all look like they could use a good night's sleep." And with a swift, decisive nod from the elder, Ryu-o and his guests were dismissed.

Sakura remained in a deep, exhausted sleep as the group meandered through the bright streets of the underground city. Ryu-o occasionally pointed out buildings of interest, including an expansive library in which all of the village's history was kept. Syaoran decided that the library would be his first stop after settling in the inn—which, as Ryu-o now pointed out, was coming up on their right.

It was nothing special—just a block carved out of the packed earth that made up most of the buildings here, with a sign above the door that read simply "Inn and Cafe." However, once the troupe entered it, Syaoran felt immediately at home with the peaceful, warm atmosphere. There was a fireplace on one end of the expansive common room, and lush sofas and living chairs were strung out everywhere, in a seemingly nonsensical arrangement. Colorful rugs overlapped here and there, again scattered almost aimlessly. There was a wide wooden staircase on the side opposite the fireplace. At the back, there was what seemed to be a dining area, where a woman—who seemed to be the keeper of this place, as Ryu-o immediately approached her—was giving a man his drink.

If he hadn't known Sakura, Syaoran could have sworn that this woman looked to be the sweetest person in the worlds. Surely, she was the oldest sweetest person in the worlds. Her eyes crinkled with a smile as she quietly, cheerfully went about her duties. Her guests offered thanks and greetings to her whenever she passed them or they passed her, and she replied with a gentle thanks of her own. When Ryu-o came up to her and gestured toward Syaoran and the others, she looked up, pleasantly surprised, until she saw Sakura in the boy's arms. Her brown hair (slightly graying, for she was nearing sixty), tied up in a loose bun low on her head, gently swayed as she approached Syaoran with a worried expression on her amiable face.

"I'm sorry I didn't greet you sooner; I didn't know you had an ill one with you. My name is Miss Maya," the woman said in a soft, peaceful voice. Syaoran introduced himself and Sakura, after which his companions all introduced themselves. Afterward, Miss Maya started toward the stairs, gesturing for them to follow. Ryu-o stayed downstairs to chat with the guests. "Here, let me show you to your rooms. Ryu-o, bless the boy, told me that you would need a few. Now, I can only spare two at the moment, but I hope they'll be enough for you."

"That will be fine, Miss Maya, thank you. We're grateful for anything you can give us," Fai replied in an equally amicable tone.

The woman went down a hallway and opened two doors at the end of it. She explained to them that only one room had a bathroom adjoined, but both rooms had two twin sized beds, a dresser, a mirror, and a map in case they needed it. She went on to tell them that the café was open from six a.m. to eight p.m., but they could call her anytime and she'd be up in a hurry, no matter day or night. Before she left them, she asked if there was anything she could get the young girl still sleeping in Syaoran's arms.

The boy smiled. "Maybe when she wakes up, but I don't think there's much we can do right now." Miss Maya nodded, then gave a soft farewell as she left them.

Kurogane harrumphed. "Too damn nice, these people."

Syaoran shrugged, then turned toward the bed that looked most comfy and gingerly lay Sakura upon it, taking care not to interrupt her slumber. However, when he tried to pull away, he found that he could not dislodge her grip on his shirt. She whimpered softly when he tried to pry her fingers off, then snuggled closer to him, unconsciously aching to be near him. Syaoran blushed, then sat beside her and stroked her hair.

"Well, I guess that settles our sleeping arrangements. Shall we move to the other room, Kuro-puppy?" Fai asked, and when the ninja stormed out, followed him, towing Mokona along with him. Just before he shut the door, he said to Syaoran, "You should get some rest, too. When Sakura-chan wakes up, I'm sure you'll want to discuss some things together, and you don't want to be exhausted for that. Kuro-tin and I will probably sleep a bit, then go out hunting again."

The boy nodded at Fai, who gave him a sympathetic smile as he closed and locked the door behind him.

Syaoran took a deep breath and swallowed thickly, looking at Sakura. There they were, alone together again. But this time, she was sleeping off the turmoil that his actions had ultimately put her through. He thought about lying with her, but the twin bed really was not big enough for the both of them, so he decided to push the two twin beds together. Again, he tried to remove his shirt from Sakura's surprisingly tenacious grip, and this time he succeeded. The princess immediately began to twist and turn in her sleep, clearly unsettled, so he worked as quickly as he could, and once both beds were pressed up against one another with the sheets on top, he made quick work of his outer clothing.

Careful not to jostle the bed, he lay down beside her. The girl snuggled close, immediately seeking the warmth and comfort that her unconscious brain knew lay just a few inches from her. Syaoran wrapped his arms around her and buried his nose in her hair, inhaling deeply. "I love you, my hime," he whispered. She murmured his name, sighing happily, before slurring a soft "I love you, too" in return.

He fell asleep within twenty seconds.

_**A/N: **_**So, that was Chapter 11! Finally, right? Yeah, I know, I know. I really am sorry. I'll get Chapter 12 out there as soon as possible!**


	12. Chapter 12: Confrontation&Determination

**A/N: Here's Chapter 12! **

**DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Tsubasa Chronicle. **

**Chapter 12: Confrontation and Determination**

When Sakura woke up, she decided that she was starving. The exhaustion that had gripped her before was now thankfully faded away, and she felt refreshed, albeit a tad sluggish because she'd been sleeping so long, not to mention the rumbling in her stomach from not eating for the past day. With a start, she also realized that she was in the arms of Syaoran, curled into his body with her forehead resting on his chest. She smiled wide and opened her eyes, snuggling closer to him.

He was still sleeping, his eyes closed and his cheeks slightly flushed. He held Sakura tightly against him, occasionally stroking her back or arms. Sakura kissed his chest softly, then closed her eyes, content to lay here like this and let him sleep. She knew he had been carrying her for most of the day yesterday, so he must be tired.

But, boy was she hungry...

_SxS_

"We sure got a lot more feathers today!" Mokona cried as it, Kurogane, and Fai descended once again to the underground village.

"Are you feeling better, Mokona?" Fai asked. As he, Mokona, and Kurogane hunted, Mokona seemed to get progressively more lucid.

"Uh-huh!" the little thing cried. "The feathers are easier to deal with when they're all in one place."

The companions continued to descend, falling into a comfortable silence. Fai was grateful for the darkness of the stairwell, having been burned once again by the suns of this world. They had retrieved seventeen feathers today, a near astounding sum compared to the meager one or two feathers they had seen and retrieved in other worlds. They soon entered the village and began on their way to the inn, both eager for a chance to rest and eat before going out again.

The companions were silent throughout most of the walk, only pausing every now and again to comment on some things the venders were selling. As they came into the warm inn, Kurogane's thoughts drifted to the princess, to the pain she had endured as a result of the feathers. He found himself lamenting that pain and feeling sympathetic toward her plight before he shook his head and tried to force such thoughts out of his mind. He didn't have the luxury of sympathy. 'Or mercy,' he firmly concluded. She would just have to endure the pain until she got all of her feathers. They went up the stairs and into their room, and the ninja took a seat on the bed, lost in his thoughts.

Fai leaned on the wall adjacent to Syaoran and Sakura's room and looked at Kurogane sadly. "Surely you don't mean that, Kuro-tan."

The ninja's eyes narrowed, and he sighed. "Get out of my mind, magician," he said quietly.

"I can't help it, Kuro-rin. It's a passive thing," Fai responded. "Besides that, why are you so determined to not care? It must be very exhausting."

"It's none of your business." Kurogane was not in the mood, but Fai didn't give up.

Fai suddenly changed. He stood erect, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. His words became harsh-pained and passionate and lethal. "It is so my business. I'm traveling with you, and believe it or not, we'll be traveling together for a long time with Syaoran and Sakura-chan. We can't be constantly putting feathers into Sakura-chan's body when they cause her so much pain. What are we going to do when she reaches her threshold, when she can't take any more? Huh, Kurogane?" The ninja fidgeted at Fai's vehement words, but Fai went on. "Are we going to hold her down? Will we give them to her in her sleep so she can't resist?"

"Shut up," Kurogane said softly.

The magician ignored him. "What about when she begs us to stop? When she cries at the mere thought of regaining her feathers? Will we keep shoving them at her? What about when she starts to distrust us?"

"Stop it," Kurogane said a little louder, but Fai spoke over him.

"When she starts to hate us? When she flinches as we enter the room, and looks at us with fear in her eyes because she knows—"

"Shut up!"

"—that we will be putting her through so much pain she can't even see straight!? What will we do when she runs away, huh? Will we capture her and lie to her, tell her that we found a way to make it not hurt so we can get a few more feathers into her, so that you can be done with this and get your _damn_ wish granted?" The curse word coming from Fai's lips bit into Kurogane like a blade. "Will we strap her to a chair and gag her so she doesn't scream when the fire goes through her?"

"Why are you doing this!?" The ninja stood up as well.

Fai advanced on him while he spoke. "Huh, Kurogane? And what are you going to do when you see her writhing on the floor in _agony_ while you stand above her, knowing that YOU are the one who did that? Will you just distance yourself some more? You already push away her sweetness and kindness. Will you push yourself away from her pain and fear as well so that you won't have to see her miserable and broken because of YOU?!"

"STOP IT!" Kurogane yelled, upending his chair.

Fai got right up into his face. "NO! I WILL NOT STOP! Not until you listen! Not until you understand that you can't make yourself blind to that girl's pain! You can't ruthlessly put her through that-that _fire_ to achieve your own ends! You just can't do it!"

Kurogane had had enough. Fai had ripped him apart, exposed him to the evil of his thoughts and the reality of their situation, but Kurogane could not face that. "I can, goddamn it! And I am! I couldn't care less that she gets hurt every time she gets a fucking feather! I don't care how, and I don't care why!" The ninja's gaze was fiery and cold all at the same time. "See, what you don't understand is that, to be strong, you can't have anyone to bring you down. It's gotta be you and only you! That girl is just a _burden_. She means _**nothing**_ to me!" Kurogane paused in his rage, took a deep breath, and then added, staring deep into Fai's eyes, "And neither do you!" He spun around, hating how the magician's damaged expression tore into his heart, and strode across the room. He threw open the door, ready to storm out, but stopped dead in his tracks.

In the doorway stood Sakura, carrying a tray of food with her frail ivory arms. Her face was downcast and her hair covered her eyes, but a small puddle on the tray told the ninja that she was crying. Her aura was a soft and dark grey, wavering around her fragile form. Kurogane's eyes widened, and he stood stock still. It took a split second for her to flinch at his presence, and she looked up at him. She tried to smile.

The ninja suddenly hated himself. She had heard everything—or at least everything he had said.

"I-I…" the girl's voice seemed just as breakable as her body. She cleared her throat and began again, making her voice be happy. "Miss Maya let me use the kitchen, so I made some lunch for us to have together while Syaoran is at the library. But you can have my share… I-I'm not very hungry." She gave a smile that turned the ninja's stomach with its sadness. Sakura shouldered her way past Kurogane into the room and set the tray on the little wooden dresser, then just as quickly scurried back out. The ninja was still standing frozen in place, and Sakura stopped before him. "Kurogane-san… Will you please give me the bag with my… my feathers in it?"

Confused, the ninja wordlessly complied, and then swallowed hard when he saw her wince at the sight of the thing.

She looked up at him, craning her neck in order to look him in the eyes. "I am sorry that I'm a burden on you… but I will try my hardest not to be from now on." With that, she hurried into her own room, and locked the door behind her.

Kurogane turned back around to Fai, who stood looking down. "You knew she was there, didn't you."

Fai's head snapped up, his eyes sad. "No! I-I… I was so busy yelling at you that I… just wasn't… aware."

Kurogane swallowed. "Can you hear what she's thinking?"

The magician gave him a sad smile and shook his head. "Don't you already know?" he gently asked, referring to Sakura's thoughts.

Kurogane gently cursed and turned his gaze to the food still sitting on the dresser. He did.

_SxS_

Syaoran had been researching the Sabakono at the library for hours, but he had turned up nothing that he or his group had not already known. Small facts about the creatures, statistics, but nothing that really screamed out to him. The only thing he discovered that he deemed of relative importance was the Sabakono's territory. They seemed to congregate near this village, only venturing further out when it was absolutely necessary—but there was almost no information as to why this was so. Even when he asked the librarian (an elderly man with a suspicious eye) for the oldest records of the village, he only found what Ryuo-o had already told him.

He closed a heavy history book, put his head in his hands, and sighed in frustration. All this time, and he had absolutely nothing to show for it. He glanced at the large grandfather clock pushed up against the wall, and sighed once more. It had been several hours since he had left Sakura in their room. He had woken to find her already awake in his arms, waiting patiently for him to join her consciousness.

The boy regretted his actions toward her this morning. He had originally intended to apologize for his actions and beg forgiveness when he was alone with her and iron things out between them—but his stomach had twisted in fear and he shied away, like a small child, from the confrontation. She had seemed happy enough, though her skin was too pale and she was weak from her struggles, and he simply did not have the strength to risk ruining her mood.

So he had run away from her. With a gentle kiss and a soft caress, he had told her that he was going to the library to study this world some more. The princess had immediately requested to join him, but he declined as kindly as he could, saying that she should rest, bathe, and eat instead. He had told her he would most likely be back for dinner, but not to wait up for him if he had not returned by then. Syaoran regretted that the most. The moment the words left his mouth, Sakura's face fell, and the bright glow faded from her eyes. She had offered no protest, no dissention, but merely accepted his decision and promised she would try to rest, shower, and eat as he had told her. He couldn't get her expression out of his head, that soft pleading look in her eyes as he pulled away from her to get ready to go. She had gotten up and followed him around the room as he got this things together, offered to put his cloak on for him. Her hands were shaking so badly that she couldn't do the clasp.

As he was leaving, she asked him once more if she could accompany him, and it nearly broke him. He had considered just staying in with her all afternoon.

Yet, still he left her. She needed her feathers, and he had been convinced that the library somehow held all the answers he needed in order to obtain as many as possible. But he had been wrong. Even after leaving her and slaving over these books—developing a nasty headache in the process—Syaoran had become no closer to getting her more feathers.

That cut into him the most.

_SxS_

Sakura stood in the bathroom, gripping the sink hard and staring into the mirror. Her stomach was turning, and she felt like puking even though she hadn't eaten since the day before yesterday. She forced herself to ignore her stomach and get back to the task at hand. Syaoran would not be returning for at least a couple of hours, so she had time. And Kurogane and Fai would not bother her, she knew. She was lifting a load off of their shoulders, after all. Sakura absolutely refused to be a burden any further.

Syaoran had jumped up the moment he had woken and refused to look into her eyes. She could tell that he still felt bad about what he had done to her, but she didn't want to talk about it with him until he wanted to as well. He had shortly left her to go to the library and study the Sabakono, promising to return by dinnertime. She had offered to join him, but he declined, saying that she needed to rest more. She had tried, but eventually got up and showered, then went downstairs to eat something. She met Miss Maya and was given permission to make some food in the kitchen, and about five minutes into it, the kindly old woman told her that her friends had just entered, so Sakura happily made some food for them as well. Little did she know what she would hear when she brought them the food.

So, now she stood, her heart hurting, starving for food, scared, and more determined than she'd ever been. She looked at the ominous leather bag full of her feathers. She knew, somehow, that there were more feathers than last time. She was going to have to "administer" the feathers to herself. But how? All at once? That would hurt so bad… Then again, if she went slowly and regained only one or two feathers at a time, waiting for the fire to stop after each, she probably wouldn't be done by the time Syaoran got back. And who knew what he would think of her doing this?

So… it would have to be all at once.

Her stomach seized and she gave a few dry heaves, bending over the sink. When the urge to vomit left her (for the moment), Sakura lifted her gaze to the small mirror that reflected the weak visage that was her. The eyes were haunted, sunken into nearly hollow cheeks that held little color, if any color at all. The mouth was a pale slash across the face, open and panting—scared. The aura that surrounded her was icy grey and sick with terror. The wings had even lost their luster, the feathers having traded their usual magnificent alabaster glow for a dull off-white.

She ripped her gaze from the mirror, hating her reflection, and turned to the bag of feathers. She nearly became sick once more. She steeled her courage, swallowed hard, and reached for the bag, enclosing her little hand around the opening to ensure that no feathers would escape from it just yet. Sakura could feel them inside—her memories, calling to her. Beckoning her. She felt compelled to let them inside despite her growing terror. Swallowing once more, the girl gingerly stepped toward the shower and turned it on with her free hand, making sure the water was on cold so that she didn't waste too much of the inn's resources. She hated to waste the water, but she needed the sound. Turning around, she padded to the separate, empty bathtub and lowered herself into it, forcing her stomach to be calm. She would have less of a chance of being interrupted—of being heard—in here, especially with the water on.

She turned her gaze once more to the bag of feathers in her hand and lay in the bathtub for several more minutes, just staring at it. She couldn't deny the fear that gripped her—but she could not resist the urge to absorb the feathers, either. Finally, she took a deep, fulfilling breath (for she knew that it would become difficult to breathe after obtaining the feathers) and opened the bag, allowing its content to float down into her chest.

Warmth filled her for a moment, relaxing her muscles and bringing a gentle peace to her mind. She closed her eyes, reveling in the feeling and longing for it to last. Glimpses of memories flitted about in her mind: happy ones, sad ones, ordinary ones. She was about to fall asleep when she felt it—the fire. Coming for her. She let out a strangled squeak as it slammed into her like a freight train. Her skin was crawling with it, burning and melting, and the pain in her wings was excruciating. Tears streamed down her face, and she had enough consciousness to acknowledge the irony that water could exist as a liquid in the presence of her fire. She fought against the pain for a while, held herself still as a board as it licked her and destroyed her. But suddenly the fire began to crescendo, the flames smothering her. She could taste the smoke on her burned tongue as the fire filled her throat and lungs. The pain was unbearable, and the girl let go of her fragile hold on herself. She could not scream, but she writhed in pain, in desperation, in fear, while the fire ravaged her.

Regaining her feathers, getting back her memories… That was supposed to make her better. And yet, as she lay curled up in the bathtub, engulfed in fire, she was convinced that the feathers were killing her.

**A/N: Wow, that was a short chapter. But it was kinda powerful, right? Even a little? I tried to add a little bit of characterization into word choice when I wrote about Kurogane, since he's all about being strong and fighting and everything. Did anyone notice? Hehe… :) **

**As always, please review! I hope you enjoyed, and please keep reading! **


	13. Chapter 13: Reconnaissance

**A/N: And here is Chapter 13! Oooh, unlucky number… I'm loopy, don't judge me. **

**There have been many reviewers since I uploaded last, so I won't even try to write responses to everyone… But know that I thank you all dearly for reviewing. When I get an email notification and find it's from a review, I always get a little boost of confidence and I open up Word and start to write, even if it's just a little. Your responses are worth everything. **

**DISCLAIMER: In no way do I own the amazing Tsubasa Chronicle... Sadness.**

**Chapter 13: Reconnaissance **

They had had to get Miss Maya to unlock the room for them—Syaoran had left the only key with Sakura. At first, the old woman had seemed hesitant to do so, but after seeing the concerned looks on their faces had relented and agreed to open it.

Blood and feathers.

That was what the group saw as they entered the room. There was blood everywhere—luckily there were no large pools of it, but the redness was smeared all over most surfaces, especially the walls and the table next to the window. Her feathers were also scattered throughout the room, sticking to the floor and walls from the blood. They were not her memory feathers, but seemed to be from her wings. The ones that were not completely covered with blood were pure white and downy—exactly as Sakura's wings were.

Syaoran saw stars the moment he stepped into the room. His heart began beating frantically, desperately, and he called out Sakura's name, praying to God that she would answer him back.

She did not. However Syaoran did manage to catch a sound coming from the bathroom—running water. He sprinted inside the bathroom, noting with fear that the doorjamb was also bloody. The dark red substance was smeared all inside the entire bathroom, with small handprints of the stuff showing that Sakura had either slipped often or could not walk on her own. There was a thin layer of red liquid coagulating in the bottom of the tub, which also had every side virtually covered. Syaoran stepped to the shower. Without a thought for what might be inside, he ripped aside the curtain and was met with a spray of cold water. He spun around, tears threatening to break from his eyes, and then saw clearly defined bloody footprints on the floor—amidst the occasional smear of body-shaped blood—and followed them. His brief investigation divulged that Sakura had somehow climbed out of the tub, made her staggering way into the bedroom and to the window, and then escaped out of it. With a certain dread, he realized that the sleeve containing her bow and quiver was now gone from the table, along with its contents.

The suddenly calm protector turned toward his companions. "What happened." It was hardly a question.

It was Mokona who spoke first with tears in its large eyes. "S-Sakura-chan heard Kuro-pi and Fai-san arguing and… she got her feathers from Kuro-tan and… and then she went into her room…"

Syaoran's eyes became progressively darker. "And you let her." This time he spoke towards the warrior.

Kurogane was still in shock over the view of the room. Guilt racked him and constricted his breathing as he replied, "Yes. I did it." There was no use hiding anything. "She overheard the magician and me, and… I said some things. Things she shouldn't have heard. When I opened the door, she said something about not wanting to be a… a burden, and then I gave her the feathers and she just left—" His voice almost broke, but he was interrupted by Syaoran.

The boy had roared with anger and turned on Kurogane, who was staring at the floor with a broken expression, and punched him in the face. Because the ninja had failed to defend himself from the blow, he was thrown back several feet and onto his back. "How could you let her do that? You had to have known that she would give them to herself and get the fire." Syaoran asked, incredulous. It was difficult for him to speak with tears and rage restricting his windpipe, but the words calmly and steadily made their way out of his mouth.

"Kid—… Syaoran, I didn't know she would do that, and I sure as hell didn't know she would do this… Goddammit, if I had known, I…"

"Shut up." He once again advanced on Kurogane; however Fai stepped forward and grabbed his arm.

"Syaoran. Fighting with Kuro-rin is not going to get Sakura-chan back any faster. Please, let's just find her. We can assign blame later." The magician's voice was strained, heavy with the knowledge that he could have stopped this too.

The boy tore out of Fai's grasp but nonetheless accepted the mage's judgment. Without sparing one glance at the ninja now sitting up, he said, "How do we find her." Again, it was not a question.

_SxS_

'Oh, God, it hurts…'

Sakura trudged slowly through the burning sand, her bow held in one bloody hand while red dried steadily on her wings and sides. She used the longbow as a walking stick as she traveled, slowly, in the direction of a feather.

The fire still gripped her, but instead of holding her in one place and crippling her limbs, it was pulling her forward, directing her motions. It had dulled into a nearly bearable smoldering all over her, although her wings still felt like they were on fire. In her clearer moments, she was able to surmise that the fire should have left her long ago. She could not fathom why it was still holding her.

Suddenly and without warning, she fell forward. 'Oh,' she thought. 'This is why.' The sand singed her delicate exposed flesh. Like an angry parent, the fire surged forth and compelled her to stand as its tongues of flame licked her already burned skin.

After about half an hour of walking, the girl felt an intense stirring in her stomach, a pull of her heartstrings, and she looked up in fear to discover a large buzzard, so large it created a shadow over her, barreling toward her. It screamed and landed ten feet in front of her, spraying hot sand everywhere (Sakura carefully blocked the spray from her eyes with a shaky arm). Once landed, the buzzard screamed again and wobbled its way toward her.

The girl looked upon the creature at first in fear, with a creeping suspicion that this thing would not wait until she was dead to start eating her. ('Maybe I'm already a carcass,' she thought briefly, considering the fire.) The bird began to advance on her, and her once-sleeping survival instincts suddenly kicked in. She could not simply stand there as a giant carrion bird attacked her and killed her. All her efforts, all the efforts of her party, would have been in vain if she allowed herself to die. She pushed away her more pessimistic thoughts—'Maybe it would actually be a relief to them.'—and pulled an arrow into her bow as the buzzard screeched fearsomely at her. Despite her weak body, Sakura loosed the arrow with a steady, practiced hand straight into the heart of the buzzard.

There was a dazzling gold and white light that emanated from the wound in the creature, soon enveloping its entire being. Within ten seconds, the buzzard was no more, and instead of a body occupying space, a feather floated in the air amidst gentle sparkles of light. The girl stepped forward to claim her own feather and took a moment to look at it before shoving it, savagely, into her chest, compelled by the fire. A small groan ripped from her throat, and tears threatened her eyes, but she forced herself to calm down. Sakura felt the gentle tug of sleep for several seconds before the fire renewed its attack on her, renewed its compelling strength.

She fought against the dry heaves that threatened to wrack her as she continued on, her pyre walking with her.

_SxS_

After assuring Miss Maya that they would help clean up the mess Sakura had left, Syaoran, Kurogane, Fai, and Mokona had left the inn to look for Sakura. They followed her trail of blood, left mostly in dark alleys that Syaoran cringed to know she had traveled, to the trapdoor leading out into the hot sand and sun. Then, the trail just stopped, however Syaoran was certain that his princess had not stopped bleeding.

"The wind is pretty strong today; it probably swept away the trail," Fai surmised.

'No shit,' thought Kurogane.

"Mokona, can you please concentrate and see if you can sense a specific feather," Syaoran said quietly to the rabbit-creature.

Said white manju bun swallowed hard at the young warrior's (quite scary) tone, then closed its eyes and tried real, real hard to sense a feather among all the conflicting signals it was getting. Luckily, since Fai and Kurogane had retrieved so many feathers, Mokona was no longer inundated by so many feather signals. When it opened its eyes again, Mokona pointed to the south. "The closest one is that way, Syaoran-kun."

Without a word, Syaoran began running in that direction while pulling his goggles over his eyes. His companions followed him, likewise silent and grim.

…

They had been searching for three hours and still had not been able to find Sakura, and it was wearing Syaoran down. It seemed that, somehow, Sakura was always just a little bit ahead of them. As soon as they began traveling in the direction of a feather Mokona pointed out, its signal would suddenly disappear as if it had been absorbed.

The suns had begun to set and the air was quickly losing the heat that had held it during the day. The landscape slowly took on a blue hue and what little activity there had been amongst the wildlife during the day had ceased as the animals—and some of the plants—closed up in on themselves in preparation for the oncoming chill.

The wind had also increased, flinging sand this way and that, stinging and sticking to skin moistened by sweat. Their canteens had already run out, and all four were severely dehydrated.

"Maybe she already went back," Fai offered, taking a moment to lean on his staff.

Without even a backward glance, Syaoran murmured, "Miss Maya told us that she would have Ryou send up a flare if the princess came back."

"They may have already sent one up and we just didn't see it. We've traveled so far—"

"Go back, then." Syaoran's response was swift and harsh, but quiet. "I'll continue searching for the princess by myself. If she returns to the village before I get back, send up another flare."

Fai's ever-present smile turned uneasy. "But what if you're too far to see it?"

The young protector shot a harsh glance to Fai. "Go back to the village. You too, Kurogane-san. I'll be back tomorrow. With Sakura." He turned to Mokona, who sat on Fai's shoulder. "Will you please come with me? I won't be able to find her without your feather senses."

Mokona seemed unsure for a moment, but consented anyway. It quickly hopped onto Syaoran's shoulder and waved good-bye to Fai and Kurogane. "See you guys later!"

_SxS_

It was almost dawn, and neither Syaoran nor Sakura had returned. After the magician and ninja cleaned up the blood in the bathroom, Kurogane, Fai, and Miss Maya waited all night for them in the common room of the inn and had Ryuo-o stationed beneath the on-land building, but still there was no sign of the teenagers. Of course, with Mokona so far away, the language barrier arose between the group, but through signs and much frustration, they were able to convey to one another, albeit vaguely, what each person meant. Many times, Kurogane had suggested they go out once more and search again, but Fai always shot down that idea.

Eventually, Fai got tired of Kurogane's constant complaining and shot a dark look to the ninja. Somehow, Kurogane understood the blue-eyed man's meaning fully. It said: "Have a bit more faith in Syaoran, Kurogane. He told us he would return with Sakura—he will. So stop being so fidgety."

And so Kurogane settled in once again to wait, grumbling angrily.

…

The sun was high in the sky when Ryu-o finally saw a speck of something on the horizon. He had been sitting in the building, propped up next to a window all day, waiting for Syaoran or Sakura, but there had been no sign of either of them. At first he thought he was hallucinating—maybe the heat had finally gotten to him. But no, that was definitely a speck. And it was moving towards the building.

Quickly, Ryu-o grabbed his binoculars, leaned out the window, and looked toward the moving speck. In the distance, alternatingly bouncing and walking, was a large, white rabbit with no neck and a wide head. "Mokona-chan," Ryu-o said before getting up from his position. He exited the house and began to run toward the small creature. "Mokona-chaaan!" Ryu-o cried, cupping his hands over his mouth.

At the sound of his voice, Mokona perked up and jumped a little. The little ball of fur began racing excitedly toward Ryu-o, though it was entirely exhausted from searching for Sakura for so long. Once the two reached one another, Mokona hopped up on Ryu-o's shoulder.

"Where are Syaoran-san and Sakura-san?" Ryu-o asked, putting the binoculars up to his eyes once more to scan the horizon, hoping to see the couple.

Mokona hung its white head. "Syaoran told me to come back to the village… He said he would continue on without me."

Ryu-o sighed and turned around, facing the building once more. "Well, Mokona-chan, do you want to go back to the inn and sleep? Fai-san and Kurogane-san are waiting for you."

The little creature shook its head. "Nope! I wanna wait for Syaoran-kun and Sakura-chan with you. I wanna be the first thing they see when they come back!"

Ryu-o smiled vaguely at the white manju bun. He had to give it to the little thing—it was loyal. So, he brought Mokona back to the building he had been waiting in, gave it a drink, and settled in to wait once more.

…

The suns had set, and still there was no sign of Syaoran or Sakura. Mokona, despite its determination "to be the first thing" Syaoran and Sakura saw when they returned, was nodding off steadily. Ryu-o stood up, stretched, and picked the creature up.

"Come on, Mokona, it's time you saw your other friends."

When Fai and Kurogane saw Mokona, they both jumped to their feet, knocking over the chairs they had been sitting in and quite disturbing the table next to them.

"Where's the kid and the princess?!" demanded Kurogane, picking the white manju bun up and giving it a little shake.

Mokona turned its gaze to the floor, sad. It repeated what it said to Ryu-o earlier.

"WHAT?!" both the magician and ninja cried.

"But, how will Syaoran find the princess without you to track the feathers?" Fai asked.

"Well, actually that's the thing," Mokona said. Kurogane set the little thing down on the table that he had been sitting at with Fai. "We were searching for such a long time, but every time we came up close to a feather, to Sakura, the signal would just, POOF, disappear, but there were always other feather signals, so we just followed those. Syaoran-kun was not very happy… And then, suddenly, POOF! Again! I couldn't sense any of Sakura's feathers!"

"But, how can that be?" Kurogane asked.

Mokona raised an eyebrow at him. "Kuro-pon, there are no feathers left on this world. But Syaoran-kun was really determined to get Sakura-chan back. Syaoran-kun's stronger than I am, so he told me to come back here and he would continue on without me. I wanted to come with him, but he said he wanted to do it alone… So now he's all alone and even though he's really strong…" Mokona's words began rushing together as it got more and more excited, "well—well, he's not _that_ strong, and it's really hot outside and I'm sure he must be really tired and I really hope he's okay and I hope Sakura-chan is okay a-and alive and… and…" the little creature's large eyes filled with tears and it began crying hysterically. "S-s-sa-ku-ra-chaaaann!"

Fai picked the little being up and held it to his chest, trying to comfort it even though he himself was near panic. He raised his head to look at Kurogane.

The ninja was looking down, his face cast to the side, his fists clenched. His red eyes were almost glowing in anger. He looked up to meet the magician's gaze. "That stupid kid! Why didn't he come back and ask for help?! For all he knows, she… she could be… DAMN IT! That's it, I'm going after them!" The ninja angrily turned around and made to grab his sword. "And don't you even think of stopping me—"

Everything stopped as they heard a noise just outside the inn and the door slowly opened. In pushed Syaoran, carrying the princess on his back and holding her bow in one hand while holding the door open with the other.

He looked exhausted, and he was covered in sand and dried sweat. His hair was disheveled and lay scattered and windswept atop his head, and his moon cloth shirt even seemed less lustrous than usual. He must have been dehydrated and weak. Blood was flecked here and there on him, and there were scratches on his arms. But still, he wore a slight smile on his face and held an accomplished air.

Now, the girl he carried was so beautiful and terrible that the group observing their entry could scarcely believe it. Blood covered virtually all of her body. She seemed to have soaked in it; it was splashed across her face, her neck. Her hands and forearms were stained with it, it was under her fingernails and between her fingers. Her moon cloth dress was soaked in it; bloody handprints streaked across the bodice and the bottom of it was fringed in blood. Streaks of red abounded in her caramel hair. In spite of the blood, however, her skin—what they could see of it—was creamy and luminous, glowing brightly once again. Her aura had softened—it now for the most part clung closely to her body, even though tendrils of it occasionally swept around, touching things near her and caressing Syaoran every now and then. It left her with a ghostly, ethereal essence.

And yet, even these things paled in comparison to the shock of giant angel wings the girl had attached to her back. Her wings had doubled, no, tripled in size and span. They were difficult for Syaoran to fit through the doorway, even though they were tucked closely to the sleeping princess' back.

The group that had sat up waiting for them immediately sprang into action. Kurogane, Fai, and Mokona swarmed their companions while Miss Maya set to dishing out some of her (famous) restorative soup that she had made in anticipation of their return and a couple mugs of water and Ryu-o put a blanket over a couch so Syaoran could lay the bloodied Sakura on it.

The protector, with his party's help, gently lowered the princess down onto the couch—making sure she was on her side so as not to disturb her wings—and blanketed her with his cloak. He turned back around only to have a hot bowl of soup thrust toward his face by Miss Maya. He gratefully took it and began shoveling spoonfuls into his mouth despite it being almost too hot.

No one said anything as Syaoran sat beside his princess and finished up the soup. There was little sound save for the occasional slurp from his mouth and the gentle sleeping breaths Sakura was taking. After Syaoran finished, he sat back with a tired yet contented sigh and rested his hand on the princess' shoulder.

Fai cleared his throat. "So, how did you manage to find her?" he asked, his voice measured, calm.

Syaoran paused a moment, then turned his head to look at his princess. After taking a deep, heavy, exhausted breath, he said, "I'm… tired. And it's a long story. Can we talk about it later? Both of us need to bathe and sleep." He did not look up from Sakura.

Kurogane began to protest, but Fai held up a hand to stop him. "Of course, Syaoran-kun. We can talk over it tomorrow, before we leave for the next, uh… country."

Syaoran nodded and turned to Miss Maya. "Do you think you could help Sakura with a bath? And maybe some food as well? She's weak…"

The old woman smiled warmly at him. "Now, don't you even worry about her. I'll make sure that little angel's all taken care of while you take care of yourself. We cleaned up the bathroom, so I can bring Sakura-chan to it and get her ready for bed."

"Thank you," Syaoran replied sincerely. He looked at Sakura and leaned forward over her, his lips barely touching her ear. "It's time to wake up, love."

Sakura's eyelids fluttered open, revealing her gleaming green orbs. She blushed upon noticing Syaoran's proximity to her. She whimpered softly and lifted a hand to grip his shirt, wanting to go back to sleep.

Her protector chuckled. "Only for a little bit, and then you can go back to sleep, and I'll join you, okay? We just have to wash all this blood off." He gently nuzzled her cheek with his nose, and she looked up at him, murmuring a sleepy affirmative.

_SxS_

Once Sakura was bathed (with help from Miss Maya, as she was still too weak to do much on her own) and had some soup in her stomach, she was escorted by Miss Maya to the bedroom she and Syaoran shared. Syaoran, who had already bathed and had been waiting for her while eating another bowl of soup, stood upon her entering and crossed over to her, laying a protective hand on her arm. He gave a quick thanks to Miss Maya, who nodded in return and left the room.

Syaoran helped Sakura sit on the bed, keeping his hand on her arm, needing to touch her in some way after being without her for so long.

"How are you feeling, my hime?" he asked.

She looked up at him for a moment, then looked back down, fiddling with her hands. "I-I'm sorry…"

The protector was shocked. "Wh-what are you—"

"I made you worry. And I made you come get me. Even though I managed to get all my feathers by myself this time, I was still a burden to you, Syaoran. You and Mokona-chan and Fai-san… and Kurogane-san… I'm still a burden to all of you. I haven't changed at all."

"Sakura, you're not—"

But now that she'd started talking, she couldn't stop. She had spilled a bit of her soul out to him, and the rest of it was going to follow, whether she wanted it to or not. "I am! I'm still nothing but a useless little princess who can't do anything on her own. I can't even get my own feathers without having to be rescued. And the only other time I tried to be of use to you… I-I was rejected! And you left…" She hunched down, wrapping her arms around herself. "I tried to give you my body because I thought that was what you wanted, but that didn't even happen. I'm not even good for my body. I'm not good for anything. I'm—I'm just… _worthless_!"

"Is that what you think?" Syaoran demanded, his voice low. Sakura jumped a bit at his deadly tone and shifted, suddenly wishing she hadn't spoken.

"I-I'm sorry…"

"How can you think that, Sakura?"

She winced again, tears continuing to flow down her cheeks. "I don't want to be the one who always gets saved, who is always holding others back! I want to be worthy enough and strong enough to walk and stand _beside_ you, to fight _with_ you! But I'm starting to believe that, no matter what I do or how much I try, it will never happen…"

She could hear him sigh beside her, and he shifted so that he faced toward her. She could not look at him, though. "Sakura…"

She was silent, the tears steadily pouring down her face.

"Come here, my hime…" His gentle command was whispered, pleading so that it was hardly a command at all. The sound of his voice calmed her slightly, made her confident enough to timidly climb into his lap, though she still could not bear to look at him. Once she was securely seated, Syaoran wrapped his arms around her and cradled her in his lap. "Sakura, before we do anything else, we need to talk about that night… about what happened."

She sniffled. "It's okay…"

"S-Sakura… I almost… I almost _raped_ you." He had to force the word out. "You should be disgusted at that."

She flicked her eyes up to look at him, her long eyelashes nearly brushing her delicately arched brows. Her deep, emerald orbs shone with unshed tears and honesty as she said, "I told you already, Syaoran. I would do anything for you."

He was absolutely shocked. Seconds ticked by as he searched for words. "But I saw you, you were terrified…"

She blinked, but still kept her watery gaze on him. "I-I was… But I would let you do anything. Firstly, because it's the least I can do, after all that you've suffered through for me—and without even knowing me at first. But, also because I love you."

"But still…"

"I-I know… And if it were anyone else, I'd probably be… I don't know what. But that's not the point." Her green eyes shone as she gazed up at him. "Syaoran, I can't say that I'm okay that you… that you tried to take advantage of me. I admit that I was so" she closed her eyes tightly for a moment "so scared… and that I felt like I was just being _used, _that I was… nothing at all to you. But I can get over that. What… what I can't seem to get over—and you might think this is stupid—" she let out a humorless chuckle "is that… Well…" Finally, she broke his gaze, her eyes flicking down as more tears fell. The next words she whispered. "You left me."

A/N: I know it's been awhile… Again. Can you forgive me?

Questions, Comments, Concerns?


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